


Cotton Candy Colored Clouds

by astr0cat



Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: A bit of non con, Ass grope, Bar, Bartender - Freeform, Bikers, Café, F/M, Fluff, Fluff be here, Sarcasm, Sassy, Shy, Still can't decide on a title, Tom Is A Sweetheart, Update: all chapters proofread and hopefully not as cringy, Winter, Writer, artist, butt touch, smol, smut if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-05-24 20:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 34,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6166660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astr0cat/pseuds/astr0cat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He rubbed his nose against yours before kissing your cheek, “we can't have that now can we?” He brought his other hand to rest above your shoulder, staring into your orbs, “you're so lovely my dear, both inside and out…”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

With shaking hands, you swiftly brought them to your mouth, puffing a cloud of warm air onto them. You had made the wise decision to not wear gloves on one of the coldest winter days, one of the windiest ones at that.

Making your way over to the cafe was a regular morning for you. You had always found something about seeing the sun begin the day relaxing, although you had always prefered the dark over the sunlight.

Upon reaching the door, you quickly pushed the door open with the palm of your hand and walked in. The owner of the shop, who was currently occupying the register, glanced up at you, casting you a soft smile. “The regular once more?” You nodded in response, a tired grin beginning to arise from your lips.

With slow steps, you paced over to the counter and slipped the money that was required onto the smooth surface.

Softly, you slid the purse off your shoulder, tugging the tablet that you would normally write or design characters on out of the bag.

You hadn't been paying attention when you had sat down at your usual table, that is until your foot softly kicked a shoe underneath the structure. A pair of eyes was on your shoulder causing you to quickly glance up, softly muttering an apology.

A soft, low chuckle came from above you and your eyes traveled even higher as to see the owner of the voice. “It’s quite alright, darling. Don’t fret.” You blinked, who the hell speaks so kind, especially to someone who just left them unnoticed and kicked their shoe? Although both of those events had been unintentional…

“Uhrm….” was all you could muster out. Silence passed for a minute or so before a smile erupted onto the man’s face. “I’m sorry...where are my manners? I’m Tom Hiddleston.”

You blinked before opening your mouth to quietly reply before you came off as any ruder than you already had. With a soft voice, you let your name slip past your lips.

Gently he reached out his hand for you to shake, the smile still spread across his lips. Timidly you took his hand, which was larger than yours by far, into your own and gave it a firm shake. Afterwards you retracted your hand and placed it back on your lap, folding your hands together.

Another moment of silence passed before he spoke up once more “do you normally sit in this seat?” You gave him a slight nod “everyday if I can…” You didn’t like the way your voice sounded so scared and timid but at least you were finally striking up a conversation.

“I see…” he said softly before continuing, “would you like me to move? I was unaware that this was your seat and I seem to be intimidating you.”

You blinked your shining eyes in slight shock, watching as he went to grab his cup. Why was he so polite and thoughtful of you? Was he this way with everyone he met? Before you could register your words you quickly stumbled out “no, no! It’s alright, i’m just-” You stopped yourself before you could continue, you didn’t normally speak of how pitifully shy you were around newcomers. “Just what, darling?” he asked quietly as he set his beverage back down. “I’m….i’m just a bit...timid, that’s all…” your voice was a ghosted whisper and if you hadn’t of seen his eyes light up you would be positive that he hadn’t heard you at all.

“I see...well now we have something in common. I used to be a quiet one as well,” he cast you a soft smile, “of course all the fans took care of that quite quickly..”

You showed him your own smile, sending it his way before pausing. Fans? Was he the leader of a fanclub or something?

Tom must’ve seen your puzzled look because a small laugh escaped his mouth. “What are you so confused about, my dear?”

All this kindness was causing your cheeks to heat up, which was unfortunate for you because once you began blushing it never faded away. 

“I was just, urhm, wondering what you meant by...fans…”

Once again he took another sip from his drink before letting his eyes drift back to you. “Well...i’m an actor,” he let a smile bubble up onto his lips as he spoke, lifting his left hand to motion outwards, “and with that comes people who admire you a bit too much..don’t get me wrong I do adore all my fans but...it becomes a bit much sometimes.” He set his hand back down as he finished his sentence, once again sipping his beverage.

You nodded slightly, losing yourself in thought as you let the information seep in. It must get tiresome having “fangirls” chase you left and right, although some celebrities did seem to enjoy the fame and love. This didn’t seem to be the case for the man in front of you though.

You didn’t realize you were staring until a calm voice called out your name causing your glazed over eyes to widen. Blinking a few times as to clear the haze, you found your eyes locked with the actor’s, discovering a slight worry that glittered in them, or was it discomfort?

“Are you alright, darling?” You quickly nodded to him, wondering why the discomfort had been lacing his irises. Perhaps you had made him uncomfortable in some way, probably with the staring. Or perhaps he was afraid of you realizing who he was and suddenly turning into one of those crazed females. That was a high possibility as well although you didn’t know him, and surely didn’t even recognize him.

“Tom...earlier you asked me if you were making me uncomfortable….but now I find myself wondering if it is I who is making you the uncomfortable one…” you said softly, your voice beginning to drop to a whisper.

The said man smiled softly before quickly replying “no of course not, my lady. I’m just...thinking over some things…”

You nodded softly, your strands of hair bouncing slightly. Before you knew it, you began analyzing his facial features, searching for signs that could answer your questions. It appeared as if he was trying to do the same, trying to see if you would tackle him into a hug. Although after a second his shoulders sagged slightly with a small relief as the smile returned to his face once more.

You certainly weren’t the type to run up and glomp someone unless you personally knew them or you had permission. Even then it was very unlikely for you to publicly hug someone regardless of the fact if you knew them or not.

Tom seemed as though he understood that from your actions for he didn’t further scrutinize you. 

Before you could delve back into your thoughts the cashier called your name causing you to get up and excuse yourself. You stumbled slightly out of the seat, catching Tom’s concerned expression as he asked if you were alright to which you, of course, said you were.

Quickly you walked up to the counter before things could get any more awkward. Upon reaching the destination, you grasped your cup of steamy tea, thanking the cashier for it before returning back to your seat.

Once you sat down, you placed your drink beside you on the table. Noticing that the man you had previously been talking too was now on his phone, you decided to get on your tablet and begin designing those new characters.

Your slender fingers grasped the tablet pen and began making messy lines that would soon form the early sketches of your imagination.

It wasn't until you quietly sipped at your tea that you noticed the celebrity staring at your messy soon to be art, a small smile of fascination on his lips.

“Are you an artist?” He paused after a moment, “if you don't mind me asking that is.”

You smiled softly at his polite nature, waving your hand dismissively as to tell him it was alright. “Not really...I just design characters here and there for a video game I'm working on...although I guess it's not really your typical video game..”

He nodded softly before moving on to yet another question “what type of game do you plan on designing? Would it be like an MMO perhaps, or were you thinking of something smaller?” You thought about it for a moment before opening your mouth “probably something small like…’Cave Story’ I suppose.”

Tom nodded softly, probably having no clue what that game was but if he didn't ask, you didn't feel like explaining it, many people having already asked that same question dozens of times. Although he did seem nice...so if he did ask, you would most likely describe what the game was all about, happily at that.

Before you could stop yourself, you asked him a question that would most likely trigger the curiosity you didn't want.

“So have you heard about ‘Cave Story’, or are you just being polite?”

The smile on your lips was genuine and friendly but the heart inside your chest thudded in anger at your words. Hadn't you just tried to avoid him asking you what this game was about? You were known for doing incredibly foolish things to yourself, but damn, you really did not feel like explaining the game even if you had just mentally agreed you would happily do so mere seconds ago. But this was different, you had brought this upon yourself, he wouldn't of asked or even had the chance to ask if you hadn't of said anything.

The man in front of you let out a small laugh, “well it isn't very polite to feign knowledge now is it?”

You continued to mentally scold yourself, your face turning a bright crimson in embarrassment “i’m sorry…”

Once more you were met with a hearty chuckle, “no need to be, my dear, but anyways. To answer your question, yes I do know the game quite well. I played it when it first released in December of 2004.”

You couldn’t lift your head, the sheer amount of shame was holding your skull down, your cheeks still blazing an angry shade of dark scarlet. Although, you were quite delighted to hear that he did indeed know the game and wasn't just stating that he did like most of the people you met.

“Oh, come now, darling, why are you so flustered?”

You turned your head to the side as to avoid his gaze “uh...just, uh…” You were fumbling over your words, this was not good, not good at all.

His quiet voice called out your name, slight concern lacing it as he tried to gaze at your face.

“I’m-i’m just embarrassing myself further. I’m sorry I should get going,” you spoke so fast that your speech seemed to blend into one word. Your brain was currently on self destruct, you had fucked up and you had fucked up _bad_. The mental conversations you usually had with yourself to prepare your brain were slowly backfiring causing you to dissolve into a stuttering mess. Of all people, why were you becoming so idiotic with such an attractive individual-

You cut your train of thought off there to think about what you had just thought. 

_Attractive._

Attractive, the word seemed to bounce around in your head, shutting you down completely. Quickly you had to say something before it was too late and you were labeled an idiot by yet another human. “I just asked a stupid question...it’s no big deal..” you said, your head tilted down as you stared at your hands which remained folded up in your lap. A lump had began to form within your throat as tears formed behind your crystal eyes. You never took it well when you shamed yourself even if the person that you were socializing with hadn’t noticed.

“I don’t recall you asking one. Could you please remind me of what you are referring to?” Tom asked softly, a gentle smile on his face in an attempt to soothe you. He probably thought you mad by now, yet he still continued to stay seated and talk with you.

It took you a moment to fully collect yourself before you spoke up, “when I asked you if you really knew what the game was...i’m sorry, i’m being such a child right now…” You paused for a moment until you had enough courage to continue, “I get obnoxiously upset when I embarrass myself...you have my sincerest apologies for my immature behavior.”

Silence lingered between the two of you...although it was surprisingly comfortable, that is until a soft voice interrupted it. Although you didn't mind it for it was comforting and eased your nerves. “My dear, you are not being a child, there are many people who get agitated at embarrassment. I remember when I used to feel embarrassed for others even if it had nothing to do with me. You are not being immature, I assure you,” he paused and smiled widely at you, “you just have to learn to see the giggles in it, it took me awhile to learn how to laugh at shame, but it’s definitely worth it.”

He softly took your hand into the two of his, clasping his fingers around your smaller ones. “But if you really must go, I will not stop you, my dear. But know this, there is nothing to be sorry for, everyone has something that they dislike, although I must admit that your blush is rather adorable.”

You were at a loss for words, everyone that managed to get this information out of you always agreed with your words, calling you bothersome. The pressure in your gut finally boiled over, traveling up behind your eyes causing the tears that had been threatening to fall to spill over. Regardless of your shocked tears, you let a smile of gratitude form before you brought your other hand to rest upon the two of his that caged your slender fingers. 

“Thank you, Tom,” you whispered softly, your voice more of a hum, “i’ll stay.”

The said man flashed you a grin before bringing your hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to your knuckles, “thank you for reconsidering, my lady.”

A scarlet tint painted your cheeks red at the action, your tears beginning to dry already. A small hint of embarrassment nagged at the side of gut at the act of crying in front of someone you had just recently met, but you quickly brushed the feeling aside.

“There’s the blush I was looking for,” he stated with a chuckle as he gazed at your ruby colored cheeks. “I’m not blushing,” you said softly, beginning to finally loosen up around the actor, enough to put yourself into blatant denial. 

This statement was of course met with a laugh, “whatever you say, darling,” he said as he pulled his hands away from yours, being gentle as he released them. You frowned softly upon the loss of his warm hands, wait, you were frowning over that? You were into this man more than you originally thought, this was bad…

Thomas noticed your frown and looked over at you, “is something wrong…?” he questioned slowly. Faster than a snake, you replaced the grimace with a goofy looking grin, “no, of course not. I'm just thinking about when I need to turn this project in for my work.” It was a lie that had came to you out of thin air, although it was partially true due to the fact you _did_ have to turn in something for your occupation. 

It didn't matter what you conjured up as long it was something made from your own hands. Whether it be a cosplay, a written work, or some messy sketch that held some potential; your boss would accept it.

The man in front of you nodded, sipping his coffee before setting it back down, his fingers still wrapped loosely around the width of it. “I see… If I may ask, what do you do for your job?” You smiled softly “Thomas, you don't need to be so polite, you can ask as many questions as you desire,” did you really just say that? Did you really, honestly, just do that. You only let close friends ask you limitless questions, most of the time anyway…

“But to answer your question, I normally do crafts and anything I can build with my own hands. It's like art, english, Facs, and engineering class blended together. Although most of the time I just sketch and write…” you scratched the back of your neck sheepishly as you caught yourself rambling, “sorry…”

He lightly slapped the back of your wrist, a playful smile on his lips, “stop apologizing so much.” You almost did just that at his remark but quickly closed your mouth. “But back to the topic, your work sounds lovely,” he sent you a grin, a charming one at that.

After a moment a question popped into your head and once curiosity finally got the better of you, you opened your mouth to ask it. “So you said you were an actor...what have you been in? If that's an acceptable question…” you mumbled the last part, keeping it quiet.

The nervousness in his eyes returned, the same nervousness from before when you had asked what he had meant by “fans”. The nervousness that made it look like he was worried about you recognizing him.

“It’s perfectly alright. I've been in the ‘Thor’ movies, some of the ‘Avengers’, and the ‘Shakespeare’ film ‘Coriolanus’.”

A smile bubbled up onto your lips, “‘Marvel’ and ‘Shakespeare’, two of my many favorite things.”

His smile seemed to reach his ears, the discomfort dissolved from his eyes, replaced by delight, “I didn't know you were a fan of ‘Shakespeare’.” You could see Tom inwardly chastise himself, of course he wouldn't know, he had just met you.

You nodded softly, smiling as to try to erase his mental scolding, “indeed, I'm quite a big fan of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.” Tom nodded approvingly at you, “yes, I did find that one quite amusing.” A soft giggle escaped your lips and if you weren't mistaken you could see a soft rosy hue arise from his cheeks. “I'm also kind of a sucker for the cliche ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Romantic comedy has always managed to snag my interest when it comes to poetry.”

Your laughter died away as you glanced up at the clock behind Tom’s head. The said man noticed how your soft chuckles had vanished and quickly glanced behind him at the clock, figuring it was time for you to take your leave.

“I'm sorry Tom, but I need to get going, I have a lot to do today,” you cast him a small smile as he turned back around and faced you. “It's no problem, dear, but...could I possibly have your number if it isn't too much trouble?” You turned your tablet off and slid it back into your purse, hanging the strap over your shoulder before taking out a piece of paper, digging into the perilous depths of your pocket for a pen. With haste, you scribbled down your number and handed it to him, shoving your pen back into your purse.

“It was nice meeting you, Tom!” you called out as you made your way to the door, your tea in hand. He barely had time to wave before you exited the building.

With a small sigh, the man smiled as he looked down at the paper. Taking his phone out he entered your number into it before grabbing his things and taking his own leave, closing his phone and placing it back in his pocket. He neatly folded the paper before placing it inside the confines of his wallet. A content smile built up onto his face as his cheeks flushed softly. He was glad he had decided to go to that cafe today.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God this took a lot longer than I thought it would but here you are! A much longer update c;

It had been around five hours since you had met the British actor, in that five hours you had been working your ass off creating this story that was past its due. Of course you were now back at your home, legs crossed as you sat on your bed with your laptop positioned in front of you.

By now, you had been in this state for well over two hours. At this point, your hair was frizzed out in every direction, your glasses perched upon your forehead as to have easier access to pinch your nose.

Out of all days, weeks, why did you have to have writer’s block now-not just writer’s block either. You had every block that was ever known, it’s like the whole art world simply shunned you. You couldn’t write, couldn’t draw, couldn’t even stitch a thread.

To say you were agitated beyond belief would be a vast understatement.

With a final sigh, you pushed the electronic device to the end of the bed, the agitation finally getting to you and causing you to take a small break.

Bags had formed under your eyes giving you a malicious appearance. Once your feet hit the floor, you bent your back into a stretch, sending your arms towering above you. Your shoulders ached from the amount of time that you had spent hunched over like some sort of gremlin. 

Your spine gave a few satisfying pops causing a content smile to work its way onto your fatigued face.

After a few minutes you let your hands drop to your sides before you made your way over to the kitchen to make yourself a cup of pleasantly warm cocoa, it was Winter after all.

With haste, you lifted a cup out of the cabinet and filled it with water, sprinkling some of the mix inside of it before popping the item into the microwave.

After a few moments the shrill beeping of the object signaled that your steamy beverage was now done, most likely too hot to currently drink. Carefully you took the glass out of the heated contraption and blew across the top of the cup sending steam dancing across its surface.

You walked back over to the counter after closing the microwave and upon reaching the destination, you added two more scoops of powdered chocolate to the heated water before stirring it. With a soft sigh you closed the cabinet, the door giving a soft, hollow thud. Throwing the used spoon into the sink, you sauntered back to your room, sipping your hot chocolate.

You set the cup on the shelf beside your bed before hopping onto the cushiony haven, turning your tablet on. Almost immediately when you sat down your phone began to buzz, screaming at you that an incoming call was awaiting your greeting.

Glancing at its bright surface you noticed the number was unknown, probably someone who had gotten the wrong number or something.

With an agitated huff, you picked up the device and answered the call. “Hello?” your voice was quiet as you spoke, quiet yet content. A familiar British voice spoke up from the other end “i’m sorry if this is the wrong person, but is this...?” He trailed off before stating your name into the device.

Your eyes brightened almost the instant you heard the voice, you had thought that he would have forgotten about you. “Yes, is this Thomas?” you asked carefully, wanting to confirm your thoughts. You could almost hear the smile in his voice as he spoke, “the one and only!” You swore you heard a quiet giggle on the other end which caused your own laughter to bubble out of you.

After a moment he spoke up again, once the laughter died down. “I’m sorry i’m calling so late, darling, but I just got the chance to call you. I felt like it was a necessity to contact you today.” You laughed softly and waved your hand in a dismissive manner, though you knew he couldn't witness it currently, “no, no, it’s quite alright, Tom. I usually stay up late on a normal night anyways and right now it’s only…” you paused as you squinted up at a clock, “it’s only seven! That’s not late at all!”

The man sounded concerned when he opened his mouth this time, “darling, exactly how late do you stay up?” You paused, drumming your fingers against your leg thoughtfully, “normally to twelve or one in the morning, three on a busy night.” The voice on the other end spoke up almost the instant your voice ceased, “darling, that isn’t healthy!” His voice sounded like that of a mother scolding a child. You chuckled nervously, scratching the back of your neck, “yeah…”

There was a sigh and then the return of the calming British accent. “Anyways...I was calling to see if the one and only young lady would like to come with me on a da-trip. Trip, I meant trip.” Your fingers stopped drumming against your thigh as you heard his mistake, the stutter apparent in his voice. A rosy hue settled upon your cheeks. “Where would this trip be?” you asked softly, wanting to have a bit more information before confirming anything or accepting any offers. “Just to a quiet place that I think you’ll like, maybe go to a restaurant afterwards…” You could already picture the palms of his hands growing clammy with condensation.

Slight hesitation took a hold of you before you softly whispered out, “i’d love to.”

Though there was none, you could hear the imaginary sigh of relief escape his lips. “Alright,” there was an obvious cheer in his voice, almost as if the smile that was surely on his lips had somehow made it into his tone, “i’ll pick you up tomorrow at eight in the evening if that’s alright.” You smiled softly, your heart thumping against your chest, “that would be lovely, Tom.” 

You couldn't see it but the actor nodded on the other side off the line, scribbling down a note to himself so he wouldn't forget. How could he forget though?

“Alright, I'm glad that that's an acceptable time,” he softly said, a slight stutter in his voice. This caused a giggle to erupt from you, “basically anytime is an acceptable time considering I work at home most of the day.”

Tom found himself lost in the sound of your quiet fits of giggles, the delighted sounds of laughter entrancing to him in some way. It was when the soft voice, that his mind practically revolved around as of late, spoke up that he snapped out of his thoughts. “Hey,” the stutter in your voice and the obvious timidness made his heart swell with affection, a fuzzy feeling shooting through him. “I was wondering...do you perhaps have any days off after tomorrow….? I'd like to, you know. Hang out for more than just one day..” He could hear your voice trail off into uncertainty as if you were asking something wrong, or asking too much of him.

“Let’s see…” he said softly as he got up from his chair and walked over to the calendar hanging up on the far side of the room, “I have the whole week off except for Friday…” he paused once more. “So...I’m all yours almost all week, darling.”

You blushed brightly at his words, the way he had said that had awakened something fluffy inside your chest, something you had been feeling in smaller amounts upon the first sight of him. “I didn’t mean that we had to hang out all week!” you were stuttering over your words, why must you get flustered so easily? “I mean not that I don’t want to, ...but...you probably don’t want to-I mean all week, that’s a lot of time..” you cut yourself off before you could ramble on any longer than you had.

“Oh dear, I’d love to have the honor of being in your presence for a week... most of the week,” he added the last part after a slight pause.

You were appalled out of your mind at the thought of him actually enjoying your company. I suppose that’s why he asked you onto a date, or was it a date? Maybe it was just as he said, a trip. But who just asks someone to go on a trip and then to a restaurant? If it was a date you were seriously contemplating on how lucky you were on a Monday evening.

“Well...after tomorrow...would you like to..do that?” You heard him chuckle softly before replying “darling, of course, I am all yours and I am pleased to be so.”

You smiled sweetly at his voice, “it’s kind of funny how we're already acting as if we’ve been together forever when it’s only been a mere thirty minutes..” You heard Tom emit a quiet surprised sound, something similar to a gasp but lodged within one’s throat. “Well my dear, we were together for about an hour at the cafe and an hour can seem like an eternity lost in bliss…” he trailed off slowly, his flirty tone disappearing with it. Though he was being quite the gentleman, he was still rather timid.

Suddenly an incoming call buzzed into your ear causing you to squirm on the bed in surprise. “Tom, its been a pleasure talking with you and i’ll see you tomorrow for sure but I have a call to take. So...bye?” You could sense the smile on the other end of the line, “of course, my dear, see you soon, my sweet.” A bright blush swept over your face, “okay, gotta go, Tom. Bye-bye,” and before you could get any more idiotic, you ended the call and answered the impending one.

 

The next day you had been up and early, and by early you meant seven in the afternoon. Today was your day off from work, your boss had called and stated that on this particular day, you could have this span of twenty-four hours to yourself. This meant that you didn't have to wake up early to continue your work on a project for the profession. After hearing the news you had ended the call, gave a small sigh of bliss, and went straight to sleep.

Upon staying up all night long for about a week and getting little to no sleep, sleeping in until seven was a haven for you, a rare haven at that. Although you had woken up at least six hours ago, you had of course went back to sleep. Of course you wouldn't let yourself wake up any later than seven due to the fact you needed at least an hour to prepare for the date, or at least that's what you had assumed it was.

WIth a content sigh, you gave your back a stretch, enjoying the pops it gave off. Getting up and out of the comfortably warm bed, you let your feet drape over the side until they touched the icy ground sending a shiver dancing down your spine.

As you finally arose from the plush covers, you went over to your phone and switched on your music, turning it to full volume, before heading off to the bathroom. Setting your device down on the shining surface of the counter, you undressed and hopped into the shower.

 

Meanwhile, Tom was just finishing up his own shower, having woken up at exactly six-thirty in the morning. He had been busying himself with trivial things as to distract his mind from the date that was currently his number one priority. 

Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the humid space and into his bedroom, glancing at the clothes he had picked out the previous hour. Beaming, he dried off before dressing himself, making sure everything was perfectly smooth and wrinkle free. Afterwards, he moved over to the mirror, comb in hand. Gently, he began to comb through his curly locks in an attempt to tame them before they dried out. After a few moments he was finally satisfied with his now slightly damp mass of chestnut silk. It would be slicked back if he hadn't been such a fool and forgotten to purchase a better variety of hair products the day he had went out shopping. However, he had forgotten and he had been a fool which left him with the curly locks that now twisted every which way. Luckily they still held a certain neatness to them that gave off the impression that he wasn't a complete scumbag.

With a nervous sigh, Tom looked over at the clock that ticked away the perilous minutes. He couldn't desist the urge to squirm and run off to pick you up early, not mentally anyway. Physically his body knew better and kept his feet in place, saving this date before it even began. However, it was already seven forty-nine and you, the girl of his dreams, lived a few minutes away…

Tom’s thoughts trailed off at that as he picked up his keys and wallet, walking out the door and to his car. Only eleven more minutes until he was _supposed_ to pick you up and if he had at least a six minute drive to get there then fuck it. Tally-fucking-ho.

 

As you finished up the final touches to your eyeliner, you turned to glance at the clock to see that it read seven fifty, only ten more minutes.

With a blissful sigh, you placed the cap upon your eyeliner, turning to the mirror for a self examination to see if you could discover any flaws that you had missed before. Finding none, you stood up from your chair, your dress swinging behind you.

You had decided to go with a simple touch of black and a dash of eye shadow, just the small stuff. Your delicate locks were nothing special either, just curled slightly into gentle waves that shined in the light. Of course you had to do more than that though, considering this was a date, and you had brought two small pieces of your hair and twisted them into braids before tying them into the back, a small tail hanging down.

To match the simple look, you had worn a dress that hugged your curves, its light lavender hue complementing your skin tone. Though the whole attire was simple in itself, it still shined a certain sharpness behind its basic features.

Once you had finished admiring your decent, for you were nothing special, self in the mirror you turned to the clock. Seeing that it was only three minutes until the “trip” you rushed to get your purse before bolting over to the door, grabbing your coat and scarf along the way. Right as you reached it, a small knock was heard, a total of three before the sounds ceased and you opened the entrance.

You were immediately met with the chest of Tom who was clothed in his own velvety coat. His tallness causing you to glance up to see the smile upon his face. “I’m sorry i’m a bit early, dear, I just couldn’t keep my excitement contained,” he said apologetically. You shook your head and softly slapped his arm, “you’re literally three minutes early, Thomas,” you said with a giggle. He smiled sheepishly, “I know but I promised the lady I’d be here precisely at eight, no earlier and no later.” With a roll of your eyes, you looked back up at him, “to be honest, I wouldn't have minded if you arrived thirty minutes earlier. Other than the fact that I was still getting ready, I wouldn't have minded your company,” you stated quietly, a light poppy shade forming upon your cheeks.

This earned you a smile before Tom offered his arm out to you, “shall we get going, darling?” With a nod you closed your door before taking a hold of his lower arm. He lead you to his car and upon reaching it, opened the door for you. Once you had thanked him and stepped inside, he softly shut it before going around and hopping into the driver’s seat.

“And off we go…” Tom mumbled nervously to himself as he put his foot to the pedal. You tilted your head to look at him, smiling sweetly before sending your gaze towards what lied beyond the window. “You sound so on edge, I promise I don't bite,” you said softly, keeping your gaze fixed on what was flying by. Although that was true and you most certainly wouldn't “bite”, you were just as nervous as him, if not then more so.

The man chuckled before looking over at you, stealing a quick glance before returning his eyes back to the road.

As the minutes rolled by you felt your hands begin to grow clammy with anxiousness. You had been so comfortable, and for the most part calm just mere minutes ago. Small thoughts rushed through your head, negative thoughts, as you lost track of where you were headed. You had actually lost track of the route long ago and had busied yourself with watching the scenery buzz by. You wondered if he was taking you to a forest, somewhere secluded from society, where he would then brutally murder you. Immediate thoughts crushed that idea though, just by being around him for a day had clearly screamed into your brain that he was most certainly not that type of man.

With a quiet sigh, you leaned back into the seat, your hands folded into a tight, neat bundle upon your lap as you took out your anxiety by overlapping your slender fingers upon each other. “It's not much farther, darling. Just a few more minutes,” Tom said softly. You simply nodded at his words, your apprehension keeping you silent.

Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, you arrived at a small park. Due to the time, the sun had already set long ago and the stars had began twinkling in the dark, velvety blanket of black resting just above your head. The edges of your mouth twitched upwards as you picked out the constellations that you recognized. This truly was an amazing spot, perfect for stargazing, and for a first date.

Before you could stare any longer, you turned your head over to Tom who had been admiring you with a smile, watching your awestruck expression turn into bliss. Upon noticing you turn to face him though, he attempted to hide the fact he had been staring but to no avail.

You quickly went over to him, taking his hand into the two of yours. “It's beautiful, Tom. How did you find this place?” You asked as you looked up the sky quickly before returning your attention back to the man before you. The actor didn't say anything, simply looked down at the hands that were clasped around his single one. You followed his gaze before letting go of his hand, thinking you had done something wrong, you quickly muttered an apology.

However, despite the silence, a smile broke out upon his face, lighting up his eyes. Slowly he took your hand in between his, just as you had done a few seconds ago, and brought it to his lips, kissing the pale skin softly.

A blush erupted onto your face but you found your other hand on his cheek, this move having been your own. You were caressing his cheek, and since you hadn't heard a protest you had decided to leave it there.

Tom released your hands and instead, softly wrapped his arms around your waist, tugging you closer to him. It was just like one of those cliche movies, at least that's what you thought, but hey you weren't complaining, in fact you were enjoying yourself.

The male glanced up at the sky, the stars reflected in his eyes as he stared at the twinkling dots of light. With a content look hovering in his eyes, he looked back down to you.

“May I kiss you?” He asked softly, so soft that his voice could be mistaken for the wind, if there was any wind that is.

You blinked as you stared up at him, a small hesitation taking over you. Were you ready to be in this kind of relationship? With only a few seconds left to spare, you made up your mind.

“Yes you may,” your breath came out in a puff of white as the cold nipped at your nose. With smooth, gentle movements, the actor brought his lips down upon yours in sincere moves.

The feeling inside your chest was warm and fuzzy, making you toasty within your coat. This was a feeling that you now adored, that you would become addicted to. Addicted and love drunk because of Tom Hiddleston.

By the time he pulled away, your face was flushed a bright crimson. Your first kiss was taken by what seemed like a polite man, a handsome one at that. As of right now, you had no regrets.

He sent you a smile as you glanced up at him, risking a view of his sharp features. The said man caught your eyes, “like what you see, my love?” he asked slyly.

You immediately buried your face within your scarf, attempting to hide from him as if the cloth would create some invisible power around your form. “Uh...yeah…” you surprised yourself when your voice came out as the quietest whisper, positive you wouldn't emit any sound at all.

After a moment, you looked back up at him, face still buried in your scarf. You found his eyes still on you before you gained enough courage to open your mouth and ask him a question.

“Could...could I have another..?” Your voice remained quiet but he heard you regardless of its volume. “Of course you may, darling,” he said as he leaned down, tugging your scarf down gently. 

Slowly he leaned in and placed his lips upon yours, his eyes fluttering closed. You found your own eyes closing as a smile bubbled up onto your face. A hand found its way to the small of your back, pulling you closer and causing a gasp to escape you. Tom took this as an opportunity to softly slip his tongue to the inside of your mouth, his other hand finding its way to yours, intertwining your fingers together.

It seemed like time had slowed down, giving you the time you so desperately loved to deepen the kiss further before the two of you separated.

Suddenly the actor smiled, his hand still in yours while the other continued to rest on your back. In a flash, he lifted the tangled hands up into the air and gave you a small twirl before holding you within his arms. 

Your cheeks glowed with a faint dusted blush as you stared up at him, the smile growing wider on your lips. Tom was so close to your face that you could feel his breath just as much as you could see it, watching as it came out in puffs of foggy white. “Shall we be off to dinner now, my lady?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long ass chapter dedicated to nothing but fluff since everything else ive written has been nothing but angst and pain

The actor had taken you to a fancy restaurant after the previous stargazing, the choices on the menu being a bit too pricey for your liking. You had attempted ordering small, cheap dishes but Tom had seen you eyeing the others, your orbs gazing at a delicious, yet expensive special.

He had said that it was alright and he’d purchase anything that you wanted to eat, but with you being so timid, you wanted to keep it at a low cost. You weren't used to spending loads of money on things, let alone food. Actually, this had been your first time out to eat since last winter. You were a loner and you never went places before, never had a reason, and never had the money. Although you were working in the art profession, letting your foot fall into the creative lands, everyone knew how hard it was for any artist of anything to get their name out into the public.

Although you had tried to get your books out there, having a single published book on a single shelf was difficult for people to notice, especially if there were only five of them in one spot.

Your art was no better, though you had been complemented more times than you could count, informed that you should be an artist, your art was only displayed in a small art shop. Your skills varied from watercolor, to charcoal, to even the basic lead pencil. The small amount of people that entered the shop always glanced up at your art in admiration, the children gasping in awe. Your prices were never high either, high enough for the work that you had put into it. Your most treasured piece was only forty-five dollars, not that much for how much time you had put into it. It had taken months to finish, months where everyday was spent adding a wide variety of different details.

Out of all this time spent working as hard as you did; making cosplays for the fellow nerds, painting the said arts, and writing the said works; only two cosplays had been sold, three books, and five delicate charcoal portraits. All of that had made you around five-hundred and fifty bucks of cash.

Four of the said portraits had been ten dollars in currency, the last being twenty-five for it was more complicated. Each cosplay you made was two-hundred unless it was simple or more intricate, in that case you charged more or less. Last but not least, your books, each one was thirty bills. Considering you had been in this career, selling your stuff for over three years, this was not good. Since you currently lacked customers, you had taken up the task to work at a local bar, working as a part time waitress. Recently you had stepped up, working as the bartender every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night; however, due to the fact that business had been great at the alcoholic building lately, your boss had given you the week off.

Coincidentally enough, the boss at the bar was also the person in charge of your art career, makes sense since he’s the one who got you the profession at the place as he had seen you struggling. You had been serving drunk fools for over two years as you had found out how hard it was to survive off of your artistic career the first three-hundred and sixty-five days.

A soft voice roused you from your thoughts, Tom’s calm accent bringing you back to your senses. “You seem lost in space, love,” he said, a grin on his face. “Uh, oh yeah. Just thinking of...some stuff,” you said quietly, trying not to seem too obvious that you were a tad stressed over your art career. The actor hummed softly, a deep rumbling within his chest like a purr, “you look like you're thinking about work.” You shot your head up, sending him a shocked glance however before you could open your mouth, Tom brought a finger to his lips gently. “I apologize for silencing you, my dear, but,” he pointed to his eyes, “it’s the look in your eyes. It’s the look of stress over a profession or relationship.”

You closed your mouth, looking down, “just...just a bit worked up over my job. It’s nothing important, i’m still making a living working at the bar and it’s not bad there.” The man glanced down at you, “you work at a bar?” You nodded slightly, “yeah, the one down the street from my apartment. It’s a fancy one, very upper class but still keeps the prices decent.” He hummed softly once again, lips pursing, “well...i'm sure your work will get better. You said you're an artist?” Once you nodded in confirmation, he continued, “well...I could help get your name out there, maybe get you more popularity,” he said as he smiled brightly, the eagerness to assist you lighting his eyes up.

“T-Tom, I couldn't possibly ask you to...to help me with this! You really don't have to.” The said male smiled wider, “my dear, I know I don't have to,” he took your hand into the two of his, “but I want to, I want to help you achieve the goal in being the successful artist that you are striving to be. I haven't seen your art yet, nor read your novels, but there is no doubt in my mind that they are lovely and worth everyone’s time.”

You fell silent, whatever words you were going to say had left your brain. Suddenly the waitress came out of the kitchen, balancing trays on her hands, a small smile on her face. “Here you are,” she said as she set the first tray down in front of Tom, “the main dish for the kind gentleman, and,” she set the second tray down in front of you, your eyes widening upon noticing that it was the special you had been gazing at with a watering mouth. “The specialty for the lovely lady,” she finished kindly, slipping the bill over to Tom, refusing you the opportunity to see how much money had been spent. With a small nod of her head, she retreated back into the kitchen.

With a sigh, you turned to Tom, “at least let me help pay the fee,” you said softly, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. He sent you a cheeky grin, “I refuse.” You huffed softly, “see that’s the problem with you...you’re too nice, Tom,” you said with a small pout. “Same to you love, but you're also very timid,” he winked at you slyly causing your face to erupt in red. “You’re impossible…” “And you’re beautiful.” You covered your face with your hands, refusing to let the gentleman see your flushed cheeks, “stop it…” He smiled widely, “lovely, charming, elegant, flawless, graceful.” You couldn’t handle it all, “yeah well-” you uncovered your face and glanced up at him, “you’re handsome, cute, hot as hell, nice, too generous, and-” catching yourself, you shut your mouth. Without even having to ponder over the thought, you were positive your soul had left your mortal body.

All Tom was doing was grinning down at you, his own blush splashed across his expression. “I didn't know you thought about me that way, love,” he said softly, a hint of sweetness in his tone. “Well...I think a lot more to be honest…” you said quietly, looking off to the side as to avoid his gaze. Like the how the way his hair curled was the most adorable thing you had ever seen, how hot his body was- You cut your thoughts off there, not today, today was not the day for that.

“Well…” he said softly trying to break the tense atmosphere, “we should eat before dinner gets cold,” he said with a soft smile, his eyes gleaming. You nodded softly, blush still hot on your face.

 

The two of you passed words back and forth to each other, making small conversation as you ate. It only took the both of you to finish your meals, along with dessert, around thirty to forty minutes. Tom payed the check and thanked the waitress for her service, of course she had said that she was happy to serve you both, a smile in her eyes as she bid you both farewell. Before you exited the doors you heard the same waitress speak quietly to one of her fellow co-workers. “Did you see that couple over there?” you could feel their gazes on you and Tom, “they're the cutest couple i’ve ever served.” Though she was attempting to keep her voice down, your ears still picked the dialogue up and a warmth tingled on your face.

Once you and the man, which you were just going to say it, the man you loved exited the restaurant, you headed off back to the car. As he opened the door for you to climb in, you thanked him, leaning up to peck his cheek. He grasped your waist softly, lifting you up so your lips met his. A smile bursted onto your face as a giggle escaped you. With a small laugh, you got into the car, smiling as the actor softly shut the door once you were safely inside, quickly making his way over to the driver’s side.

Suddenly the urge to be held hit you like a truck causing you to glance over at Tom, wondering if he could stay the night. You shook your head, tearing your gaze away from him. This was only the first date but… the urge to cuddle was too strong, overpowering your will to use common sense. “Hey would you like to stay the night?” Your brain smacked you from the inside out after you finished that sentence. “I-i’m sorry...I didn't mean to be so straightforward.” Oh god you probably made him uncomfortable, it was going so well to. You fucked it all up though. Just as you finished your thoughts, Tom parked his car next to your apartment, glancing over at you, hand resting on the steering wheel. “Are you comfortable with that? I can promise you one thing, and that is that I will not do anything that you do not want to or that you are not comfortable with. But I need to know if you are ready for this, it’s only the second day since we’ve met.” 

You looked down and to the side, you had definitely asked too early. Though you were almost positive, almost, that you were alright with this, you weren't sure if the man in front of you was. “I’m sorry if I asked too early...and you don’t have to…” you paused, your eyes watering slightly, “and it’s okay if I scared you off and you don’t want to continue this any longe-” Tom cut you off by kissing your lips softly, sweetly and lovingly. After a moment he pulled away, “darling, i’m perfectly fine with it and it’s never too early, everyone has different timing. I also doubt that you will ever scare me away, it would most likely be I to scare you away, my love,” he paused for a moment, “I just need to know if _you_ are comfortable with this.” 

Smiling softly, you looked up at him, willing your eyes to dry before they spilled over with tears. “Thank you… And yes, I am comfortable with it..” The actor sent you a smile, eyes full of undying love, whether it be just a small amount of time that the two of you were together or maybe the rest of your lives, you would enjoy it all.

Tom stepped out of the car, you doing the same as he did. Once out of the vehicle, you softly shut the door and once you turned to face your apartment, an arm slithered around your waist. You smiled softly, leaning into his single armed embrace. 

Together, the two of you walked into the building before stepping into the elevator, taking it all the way up to the top floor. As the mechanism traveled up the building, you got onto your tiptoes and brought your lips to his. With no hesitation the man kissed back, smiling into it.

You pulled away when the doors opened, grabbing his hand and leading him to your door. You fumbled in your purse for your keys, pulling them out after a second and unlocking the door. Walking in, you tossed your keys onto the counter along with your purse, kicking your heels off near the door before turning towards Tom and extending your arms out to either side of you to motion to the whole room. “Welcome to my humble home,” you said with a small smile, letting your arms drop to your sides. Of course it was a bit messy because you hadn't expected to be in such a cuddly mood, in enough of the mood to actually invite the man over. “I apologize for the messiness by the way...I wasn’t expecting to be in the mood to...have you over,” you said quietly, looking to the side sheepishly, a blush on your cheeks. 

Tom let a laugh escape his lips, “this is nothing compared to my home, it’s actually quite lovely here.” A grin bubbled up onto your face, “thanks,” you paused for a second, “you can set your shoes by the door and I can take your coat. After that just make yourself at home,” you said with a smile. 

Slowly, you slid your scarf and coat off, hanging them on the coat hanger beside the door. With a gentle touch, you slipped the coat off of Tom’s shoulders, giggling as he tried to refuse you from having to hang it. Finally winning the debate, you hung his coat up, watching for a second as he slipped off his shoes before walking into the kitchen. “Would you like any hot chocolate, Tom?” you asked softly. It had been at least thirty minutes since the two of you had been at the restaurant and you were craving a hot beverage.

The said man sent a smile your way, “that would be lovely,” he said as he took a seat on your couch.

You nodded your head in his direction, a smile on your lips as you got out two cups and filled them with water, scooping some chocolate mix into them before popping them into the microwave.

As you waited for them to heat up, you went over to Tom and took a seat next to him. Timidly, the man reached an arm around your shoulders and you leaned into his one armed embrace. Boldly, you moved to sit on on his lap, threading your fingers into his curls as you stared into his eyes with your own half lidded orbs. Slowly you leaned down and stole a kiss from him, your eyes fluttering shut as the smooch began to deepen, beginning to heaten up into a slow makeout session.

Before the two of you could go any farther, the microwave beeped signally that your drinks were done, no doubt steaming hot.

Reluctantly, you pulled away, panting softly as you stared over at the kitchen. Before getting up, you flashed a look over to Tom to see if he wanted you to stay perched on his lap. “Go ahead love, I'll still be here when you come back,” he said with a soft giggle, leaning up to peck your lips softly as you got up. You smiled softly and kissed his cheek before going over to the kitchen to tug out your cups from the microwave. Hissing as the heat hit your fingers was all you could do before hastily placing the glasses on the counter and shutting the fridge, flailing your hands up and down in an attempt to cool them.

A pair of arms suddenly snaked around your waist while a chin came down to rest on the top of your head causing your hand motions to slow down, the burn beginning to cease. “Are you alright, darling?” the actor behind you asked, concern lacing his words. “Yeah I'm fine, I didn't keep you waiting did I?” The brunette let out a soft sigh before spinning you around gently, staring into your orbs. With a smile he spoke, “love, of course you didn't keep me waiting and even if you did I'd be more than obliged to wait for a goddess. Please do not fuss over me, you are doing perfectly fine, you are perfect. Do not worry anymore, alright? Even if you must worry, please do not do it much, someone as flawless as you does not deserve the anxiety you go through,” he said softly.

Your mouth had fallen open from his small speech and as much as you hated to admit it, you couldn't help the tear that rolled down your cheek, followed by a few more. The anxiety that had followed you around for a few years now was always a touchy subject for you, even if it was only discussed for a few seconds it never failed to trigger the throbbing of your heartstrings. But aside from that, what this man had just said had been one of the most considerate things any person had ever spoken to you. Even in your thoughts, you knew how cliche and foolish that sounded, how weak it made you seem. But you couldn't lie nor deny it, you were a weak creature of Earth. If you had been an animal, you would be the runt of the litter but being human gave you no perks, just new emotions you didn't know how to handle nor contain.

Before Tom could ask you if you were alright, you flung your arms around his neck, burying your face into the crook of his neck, “thank you, you sweet man.” The arms that had been around your waist moved up to your torso and pulled you closer, engulfing you in a warm embrace, “you're most welcome, my lovely girl.” A small kiss was planted atop your head as the words slipped past his lips.

After a few moments you slowly pulled away from his comforting form and turned to the drinks that were now cooling. With a flick of your wrist, you scooped in a few more spoonfuls of chocolate into each cup before stirring each equally. Turning to Tom, you gently handed him the glass, leaning up and kissing his lips softly once he had a hold of it. Smiling, you walked back over to the couch with your own mug, plopping down onto the plush cushions. “I want to apologize for that little incident a few momen-” you cut yourself off when you caught the brunette's warning gaze. “Sor-i’ll just stop talking…” you said softly, taking a sip from your cocoa. With a soft sigh, Tom sat down next to you, wrapping his free arm around your shoulders, “I'm sorry I keep making you apologize so much,” came his reply, a soft smile on his lips. “No no! Don't blame yourself.” The man sent you a small smirk, raising an eyebrow at you, “my love, isn't it a bit hypocritical, and I am not saying that in an insulting fashion, but do you see how you blamed yourself just moments ago?” You blinked, looking down into the slightly steamy liquid that rested in the glass, your eyebrows furrowing a bit. “I'm sorry Thomas...I...I didn't mean…” Before you could think, a pair of lips came crashing down on yours, you could taste the chocolate on the actor’s lips, making him taste sweeter than he already did. “I am sorry for being so ungentlemanly and saying such a rude thing, that was out of place for me to say when I'm the same way...now I am the hypocrite,” he finished with a smile.

You smiled softly back at him, “it's alright, don't worry about it.”

Tom smiled softly at you, “you are too kind,” quickly he leaned down to steal a kiss from you once more before finishing the last of his hot chocolate. You giggled softly at him, taking one of the final sips from your own beverage before setting it down on the table beside you.

Returning to the position you had been in previously before the microwave had beeped, you leaned in so close to him that your noses touched. A smile reached his eyes as he chuckled softly, gently rubbing the tip of his nose against yours. You closed your eyes and smiled widely, wrapping your arms around his neck and tangling your fingers into his chestnut locks.

“Hey Tom?” you asked softly, opening your eyes and looking into his hazel ones. “Hmm?” came his soft hum, you could feel the muscles underneath your arms, relaxed but strong. “Would you like to...go to the bedroom…?” You could feel those muscles that had been relaxed just moments ago tense up slightly, his smile disappearing. Your mind registered what that had came out as, to him it probably sounded like you were a whore but that isn't what you had intended. Quickly you opened your mouth, going to explain yourself as quickly as humanly possible, “no! No-no that's not what I meant! I just meant lay down or something, watch television I don't know..” 

You covered your face in your hands to hide from him, now you had come off as a slut. The brunette smiled softly and gently tugged at your hands by the wrists so he could see your face. “I'm honored that you are so trusting of me, and you have my word that I will not do anything that you do not want me to. However, are you sure you are comfortable with me sleeping in the same bed as you?” he asked softly, his voice calming. After a second, slight hesitation holding you back, you nodded, “I trust you.”

“I appreciate your honesty throughout my stay here,” he paused, “but just to make sure, i'm not forcing you into anything right?” his tone had grown serious as the conversation continued, genuine concern lacing his words. You shook your head, “no you're not, Tom, I invited you over so I could have your company,” you sent him a smile. “Now would you like to go to the bedroom with me, Thomas?” He grinned sweetly at you as you climbed off of his lap and stood in front of him, holding out your hand for him to take. “I'd love to,” he said as he took your hand, rising up from the couch, “thank you.”

You nodded softly at him, a smile spread on your face as you led him through a hallway, stopping beside a door. With a tap of your finger, the door swung open in a gentle movement. Surprisingly enough, your room was decently clean. “And here we are, the batcave.” You could hear Tom chuckle softly at your comment, still holding your hand as he entered the room and took in his new surroundings.

“You have a lovely bedroom, love,” he stated after a few moments. You plopped down on your bed and grabbed the remote, switching the television on, “thank you,” you cast a smile up at him as he sat down beside you. “Any specific channels you'd like to watch, maybe a movie?” you questioned him softly, staring up at the screen to see what options were available to you. The actor tugged an arm around your waist and kissed the top of your head, “my, my. Such a fair lady being so kind to me...but no, anything you want to watch is fine with me.” You giggled softly, leaning up to kiss him by surprise before pulling back, “you are my guest and my boyfriend, you deserve all the best.”

This earned you a giggle and another kiss before you returned your attention back to the screen, finally deciding on watching some ghost documentaries. You were tumblr trash and as far as you were concerned, you didn't care what stereotype you were as long as you got to see a few ghosts. “Let me know if you don't like this or if it bores you,” you said softly, turning your head to Tom. He just smiled at you in response before replying, “anything is fine with me.” You were about to turn your gaze back to the television but remembered that you were still in your daytime attire. “Oops, hey is it alright if I go change into something else?” You looked back over at him just in time to see his nod, “I have an oversized pair of pants and shirt if you want to change too,” you said softly. Realizing how weird that sounded you quickly added onto your statement, “I got them from family and of course they got the wrong measurements...I just haven't managed to return the clothes yet but you could have them if you want.”

Tom sent a smile your way, “sure, thank you for the offer. These clothes were becoming quite stiff and uncomfortable.” You smiled softly as you got up, “I’m sorry I forgot to offer sooner...and about wanting you to stay the night so soon..” He dismissed you with a wave of his hand, “it's fine, dear.” 

Grinning softly, he pushed himself off of the bed and followed you to the dresser, watching as you pulled out your night time clothes before tugging out a navy colored pair of fleece pants and a black shirt, both making you look tiny. When you stood up, you turned to him, finding your face in his chest. Becoming flustered once more, you quickly stuttered your question out, “d-do you want to change in my room or the bathroom?” “It would be unfair to kick you out of your own room, so I'll change in the bathroom,” he said sweetly, extending a hand out to take the clothes that you had been holding out to him, planting a kiss on your cheek as well. “Bathroom’s just down the hall..” you called out softly to him. You heard a quiet sound of affirmation come from the hall before you changed into your comfortable clothes.

 

After you had finished changing you had laid down on the bed, Tom had come in only seconds after you had, asking if he could possibly use the shower to which you told him he could. Though in that time, you had fallen asleep, the person who was documenting the film on the television had lulled you to sleep. You had snuggled up against the pillow that rested beneath your head, having been asleep for around twenty minutes now. A few more minutes rolled by before Tom opened the door, now clothed in pajamas as he toweled his hair dry. When he lifted his head up, he looked over at you fondly, smiling sweetly at you. Noticing the towel that was still held in his hands, he quickly walked back to the bathroom and put it in the hamper before going back to you. Taking the remote within his hands, he switched the television set off, setting the remote on the table beside your bed before settling down next to you.

You shifted slightly as you noticed the bed dip down to your right. “Thomas…?” you called out softly in the dark. “Hm…? I didn't wake you did I, love?” He asked quietly, his voice deep from the quiet hush in it. “No…” you turned towards him so you were facing his back, “urm...could...could I...no nevermind..” You watched as the brunette rolled over so he could face you before closing your eyes. A hand brushed your cheek and you let your eyes flutter open, “could you what, dear?” he asked softly. You swallowed as slight nervousness took over you, but with the amount of time you had spent with Tom you knew there was nothing to worry about. “Could I...cuddle you..?” you asked hesitantly, looking off to the side out of nervousness as you attempted to avoid his gaze. Your answer was a pair of arms around your waist, tugging you close. With wide eyes, you looked up at Tom’s face only to see a tired smile plastered on his lips, his eyes locked on yours. “Anytime you want to, my sweet..” One blink and then two before you spoke up, your voice a hushed whisper “....I love you.” Your heart pounded in your chest and you swore you could pick up the sound of Tom’s doing the same thing, although you could barely hear over the sound of blood swirling around within your body. “I love you too,” came his quiet words, laced with love and a sweetness that could rot the heart. If he continued this act, you were sure you'd get diabetes.

Leaning in tentatively, you brushed your lips against his before he softly pushed onto yours, a chuckle rumbling from within his throat and into the gesture. A blush creeped up onto your cheeks as you pulled away, staring into his eyes, “thank you for today, Thomas.” Another chuckle, lower this time, “the pleasure was all mine, my sweet.”

You giggled softly, sleep lacing it as it nagged at the back of your mind. With fatigue quickly closing in, you brought your arms up to weave themselves around his torso, resting your face near his. Without looking down, you could feel his legs pulling at your own, his foot resting upon your ankle, calf against calf. You smiled lovingly at him, “goodnight.” He smiled sleepily and kissed your nose before closing his eyes and laying his head back down beside yours, “goodnight, love.” 

Slowly, you let your eyes shut as your body finally gave in to slumber, although you didn't want to let this night go, you had no choice in the matter. Bliss enveloped your mind as you fell into the dark abyss of sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for all the fluff and awkwardness and timidness

You awoke that morning when a body shuffled closer to you, arms weaving tighter around your waist as you were mercilessly edged closer to falling off of the bed. Cracking your eyes open, you glanced over to see a strand of curly, chestnut hair. The first thought that ran through your head was how hammered you had gotten but you quickly remembered about your quickly growing relationship with Thomas. Your arm began to slip off the edge of the bed and your half lidded eyes flew open in terror, your barely functioning brain panicking. Lightly you shook the brunette’s shoulders, once and then twice before his eyes fluttered open. Upon seeing you, he loosened his grip and you tumbled off the bed sheets and onto the cold floor.

The actor’s eyes flew open and he quickly flung the sheets off of himself and darted over to your side, stumbling slightly for sleep had not left his body. “Oh, I'm so terribly sorry. I-I had no idea you were that close to the edge. I'm so, so sorry,” he gently helped you up to your feet, “are you injured, are you alright?” You stared up at him sleepily, your brain running half its normal speed. Once you had processed what he had said, you quickly nodded, “yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'm sorry for worrying you.” A sigh left his lips before he brought his arms around you, softly running his fingers through your strands of hair. With a quick movement, he swooped you up and brought you back to the bed, laying you down. If his arms hadn’t of been in view, you could've sworn that you floated down from the air onto the mattress.

“Again, I'm terribly sorry,” he said softly, looking into your eyes apologetically “I mean it's okay if you are upset, I would underst-” You didn't let him finish, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down with a gentle movement, crashing his lips onto yours. You were still tired as hell but you were aware of your surroundings enough that you could at least attempt a possible solution to calm the charming man down, the charming man that had accidentally knocked you off the bed.

Tom squirmed a bit, his hands still in the air to make motions for he wasn't finished speaking. Slowly, he let his palms fall to the edge of the bed, resting there as he leaned into the kiss. As it continued, he let his knee rest on the mattress before climbing on top of you altogether, running a hand across your cheek. You opened your eyes to steal a glance of the brunette, to see what he looked like when he kissed. The sight before you had your face flushed up in crimson within seconds. His eyes had slipped shut, eyelids twitching every now and then making his eyelashes quiver with every movement; eyebrows rising upwards as bliss took him over. All in all, a heavenly sight to see, quite easy on the eyes.

Before you could shut your eyes and get back into the kiss, the man before you let his eyes twitch open, his brows furrowing as he noted your eyes on him. Pulling away he opened his mouth to speak, “so the lady kisses with her eyes open?” there was a slight hint of amusement in his voice and the faint trace of a smile tugging at his lips, but you failed to notice either of them. Quickly putting your hands out in front of you was all you could do before quickly unleashing an abundance of words, “no, no! I'm sorry...I just wanted to see your facial expressions...uh.” You quickly realized how odd that sounded, your face burning up in scarlet as you turned your head away. “I'm sorry...I just…” you turned your head to look back at him, look him in the eye, “I trust you, I do...so...please trust me and trust that those were my honest intentions…” You had to bite your tongue so you wouldn't ramble on any longer in fear of sounding like a scared little girl, that is if you didn't already. Tom was a sweet man and you didn't want to lose him over something as silly as this. You had always heard kissing with your eyes open meant that there were “trust issues”, but you trusted this man. Though it hadn't been long, barely two days, he just seemed to have that certain vibe wash over him.

All Tom could do was laugh, fits of giggles escaping him. You stared up at him questioningly and the longer you watched him laugh, the more contagious his smile became until a small chuckle of your own escaped your lips. When his snickers finally died down enough for him to speak, he turned to you with a smile, “it's quite ironic that I play the Gods of Lies in three movies. But aside from that, I do trust you and I know you trust me. To be honest, I kissed you last night once with my eyes open. I don't mind if your eyes are open dear, I like watching the expressions as well, I understand you.” You paused for a second, “you're...you're not upset?” He smiled softly, “you are free to do as you like when we kiss.” 

You blinked, this man. This man was different than anyone-than any relationship you had ever witnessed. Shaking your head, you buried your face into your hands. “Bloody hell, how are you a real man? You're like a figment of my imagination.” A hand brushed a strand of hair behind your ear before coming to rest on your cheek, “and why is that, my dear?” A shiver ran down your spine when you felt the whisper next to your ear, Tom’s breath tickling your neck. “B-because you're just…” you peeked out through your fingers to glance up at the brunette, “you're so damn perfect!” The man seemed taken aback but smiled after a moment, even giggling softly before leaning in close enough so your noses touched. “My darling, I find myself wondering the same thing about you-how you're so damn, bloody perfect.” A blush crept up onto your cheeks, painting them red, “you're going to kill me with your sweetness…” He rubbed his nose against yours before kissing your cheek, “we can't have that now can we?” He brought his other hand to rest above your shoulder, staring into your orbs, “you're so lovely my dear, both inside and out…” With genuine movements, he brought his lips to your forehead, kissing it softly before pulling away.

“Thank you, so are you,” you managed to stutter out. This earned you a bright smile, “thank you, my dear.” You opened your mouth to speak but before you could utter a word, the alarm that had made itself at home in your phone beeped softly, escalating in sound every second it went left unattended. Wiping the scared expression off your face, you quickly reached your arm past Tom and switched it off with a swipe of your finger. Upon seeing the title of the alarm, your brows knitted together in agitation, your throat letting out a small huff of annoyance. “I forgot about you…” you said softly causing the brunette that sat beside you to arch a brow in question. “Forgot about what, love?” came his soft voice, which in return caused you to raise your head. “I forgot that I have to start writing again today…” you paused, “or finish this watercolor piece...but I'm not feeling like watercolor today…” You let a quiet sigh escape your parted lips, “you're welcome to stay if you'd like...if you don't want to or if you have better things to do that's perfectly fine though.” You smiled up at him softly, it was a lopsided smile and you were sure your eyes were giving away your thoughts despite how hard you attempted to cover them.

_Please stay with me while I do my boring work._

You wouldn't ever ask anyone to do something with you that was even related to work. It was dull, it was tedious, and it wasn't anything you'd wish anyone besides yourself to sit through. You enjoyed writing, drawing sometimes, but that was just you. The one doing the actions is never bored but the watcher normally always is. Unless you're someone who likes speedpaints but that's a different story for another day.

Tom looked down at you, “I'll stay but only if…” he paused and you raised your brow at him in a quiet question, “only if I get to hold you while you type.” The request was unexpected and caused you to blink, the bright grin on his face almost blinding. “Tom, oh my god, thank you!” Quicker than any snake, you flung yourself into his arms, wrapping the limbs around his ribcage and squeezing your eyes shut as you nuzzled your face into his chest. This was the first time anyone had actually stayed with you while you worked, definitely the first time someone would cuddle you while you typed away and if you were honest…you were slightly thrilled, perhaps jovial that you were getting this opportunity.

A soft chuckle erupted from above you, “I wasn't expecting you to be so excited,” the brunette said softly. A tint of red stained your face as you pulled away, biting the inside of your cheek as you did so. “Oh..uh...sorry...I didn't mean to be so...uh…” your voice dipped down into an awkwardly low pitch as your orbs darted around the room, you really hadn't meant to be so pumped for this, and certainly hadn't noticed how open you had been about it until the actor had said something. A strong pair of arms weaved themselves around your shoulders, holding you close to the owner of the appendages, a hand petting your silky locks. “You apologize far too much my love, I'm glad you are happy to write while I stay by your side. It makes my heart swell with glee when you want to fill your time up with me.” Sparing a glance up at him, a smile took over your face as you saw his closed eyes, signature smile tugging the corners of his lips upwards. Feeling daring, you leaned up and pecked those red lips, dusting your equally rosy ones over the corner of his mouth as you pulled away. His eyes had flung open upon the contact and he made sure to peck your cheek before you could fully pull back.

Throwing a simper at him, you grabbed your laptop up from the shelf before sitting down next to the actor only to be pulled into his lap. You cast a smile up at him, letting a giggle escape your lips as you opened the electronic and turned it on with the press of a button You craned your neck up to look at the brunette, “just so you know, you can watch TV while I type if you want,” you looked back down as the screen came to life, “or do whatever you'd like for that matter...Shakespeare books are on the shelf to your left.” You softly nudged your head in the direction the bookcase was in, knowing the man would be rummaging through its contents within a matter of minutes. “And foods in the kitchen where I made cocoa last night if you get hungry. I'm sorry I didn't make breakfast…” you paused, “actually would you like me to make you-” A finger softly landed on your lips, gently silencing you. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the brunette lean down until his lips were at your ear, “my beautiful love, it is perfectly okay. You don't need to worry yourself about making breakfast for me and if you find yourself famished, I shall make you something to eat,” he whispered out, voice dipping low in pitch before he kissed your temple. A shiver ran down your spine from the way his breath had tickled your neck. “Okay,” was all you managed to get out as you opened up your Google docs account, it had always been one of your trusty writing apps. You preferred it most due to the fact you had been using it for the longest time. Of course when you had first started mashing buttons into words you had used Microsoft Word, but due to the popularity of this app you had switched over to the newer one. It was smaller, simpler as well but you liked it mostly due to the fact it saved instantly.

Tom reached over to the shelf, not having to reach very far due to the case being right beside your bedside, and tugged a book free. Stealing a glance at the cover, you smiled upon noticing it was ‘Hamlet’. Quickly snatching your gaze back to your laptop’s dull screen, the brighter setting had always hurt your straining eyes, you opened the document you had been working on for well over a year now. One arm weaved itself around your stomach, holding you as you gazed upon the screen. Out of your peripheral vision you saw a hand rest on the knee to your left, the hardback book held firmly within the fingertips that grazed its surface. “And just for the record...even if you didn't let me hold you I'd still be happy to stay here while you worked..” Tom softly stated as he flipped the book open. A grin bubbled up onto your lips, twitching the corners up until a glowing smile was born. “Why are you so sweet?” you questioned softly, glancing up at him, watching as he shot you his own grin. “Why are you so cute?” Arching an eyebrow, you leaned against his chest, letting all your weight rest on him. Catching him off guard, you smiled as he brought his other arm around you, being careful not to hit you with the novel as he sank onto the pillows. “I'm cute for the same reason you're sweet…” A smirk bubbled up onto his lips, “cheeky...I like it.” Shaking your head softly and rolling your eyes a bit, you moved your laptop up to rest on your chest as to adjust to the new position. “Let me know if you get uncomfortable and need to switch poses,” you said softly. Tom gave a hum of approval before you began proofreading the beginnings of chapter twenty-three, each chapter was roughly three to seven-thousand words long. Picking off on the spot you had ceased typing, you began pounding away at the keys, more like pecking due to how quiet your typing usually was.

The second arm around you that had joined in only seconds ago had retreated and was now holding the hardback book it previously had a grasp of, flipping through the pages until it reached the first one. With the other arm still around your waist, you leaned into its embrace, smiling softly as it squeezed you lightly. With a soft sigh, you typed and typed away, listening to the pages that would flip beside you every so often.

 

A few hours had rolled by, about three you'd say, before you decided that a break was needed. Sitting up, you pushed your laptop off of your lap and near the foot of the bed next to Tom's feet. Speaking of the man, you hadn't heard the flipping of paper for awhile, not for at least a good hour anyway. You looked behind you, quietly speaking as you did so in case your theory was correct. “Hey Tom, are you-” you cut yourself off as your orbs landed on his peaceful, slumbering face. A smile quickly broke out onto your lips, and it seemed the longer you stared at the sleeping brunette, the more you lost yourself to that giddy feeling of love. Quickly placing your laptop on the table beside your bed, you crawled over to his side, laying your head down on the pillow beside him. God this probably seemed so creepy. Letting that thought sink in made you want to leave but you couldn't bring yourself to move an inch. Instead you reached out, your slender digits softly touching a strand of chestnut hair. With the gentlest of movements, you twirled the strand within your fingers, its softness calming you.

Your eyelids began to grow heavy as a warm feeling spread throughout you, making you drowsy and willing you to sleep. You didn't want to, you couldn't fall asleep. You still had more writing to do, Tom still had to go home. The thought saddened you slightly, making a small scowl appear. Never mind, fuck the writing, it could wait until tomorrow. Sighing softly, you gladly reached your arms towards the brunette, scooting closer so you could hold him. Due to him laying on his back and not his side, it gave you easier access to cuddle him. 

Burrowing under the sheets, you stared at him for a few more moments, taking in his features. Never had you thought in your life that you'd get someone so patient, so thoughtful, and so beautiful to fall in love with you. Actually, you never thought you'd get someone at all due to your awkwardness in relationships. You had only been in three before this, all of which didn't really count due to them being so pitifully short. You just got so timid, so shy, and so scared. You'd always bail before they even got a chance, but Tom had reassured you, said all the right things.

With a grin, you softly kissed his cheek before letting your eyes fall shut, accepting the sleep that came to you with open arms. You'd worry about writing some other time, but right now all your thoughts and dreams were devoted to Tom.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tired
> 
> Sorry for the procrastination

Cracking your eyes open slowly, you let your gaze fall onto Tom’s still slumbering expression. Blinking your heavy lids, you turned so you could check the time on your phone. Reaching your arm over, you entered the code within the device and let out a soft ‘oh’ when you noticed that it was now nine in the afternoon, the sun having gone down hours ago.

Writing would be a difficult task even if you wanted to do it for the fatigue was still heavy in your system, it always took you a few hours to fully wake up even after a nap. Running a hand through your hair caused more pain than you expected and you quickly halted your actions and retracted the appendage. With a sigh, you twisted back around so you faced Tom, you hadn't meant to leave the book in his hands while he slept but you had drifted off quicker than you had originally anticipated. Softly taking the item from him, you closed it and placed it on the wooden surface of the table beside you before leaning into his form. With delicate fingers, you gently brushed his cheek, afraid he'd wake up and catch you. You didn't want him assuming you a demented freak and there was a high chance he’d think differently about you if he caught you brushing his cheek while he was in his dream like state.

Sparing you no time to react, Thomas flicked open those beautiful teal eyes you loved so much, although the sight of them now was something you wanted the least. The brunette grasped your wrist within his fingers before you could pull your hand away from the side of his face and instead of calling you a creep, he softly tugged your wrist closer until your open palm rested calmly against his cheek. A content smile worked its way onto his pink lips, his eyes falling shut slightly so they became half lidded in bliss. Your own orbs were wide with shock but you made no move to tug your wrist out of his grasp. You hadn't even attempted to apologize to him for your actions, figuring they were acceptable due to the way he responded.

With the slightest bit of hesitation, you let you thumb trace small circles on the smooth skin it was being held against. You spoke up after a moment, words soft and smooth, “it's pretty late...do you want to go home or do you want to stay here?” You were almost positive he had plans-actually he did say he had all the days off and it was only Wednesday. 

There was a moment of silence before he nodded, voice piping up in a drowsy tone, “sure.” You bit your lip as you glanced at his now shut eyes, “are you sure? I mean I'm not somehow guilt tripping you into staying here am I?” He shook his head softly, releasing your wrist, “no dear, I'm happy to stay here, just tired right now.” Letting a relieved smile form upon your lips, you bowed your head in understanding, “would you like to try and catch some more sleep while I make dinner for us?” Tom opened his eyes, brows furrowing slightly, “no, love, you don't need to make dinner. I can do it,” he made to move but you softly touched his shoulder causing him to cease his movements. With a gentle push, you pressed his body back onto the mattress. “It's fine, I can do it. Just tell me what you want and then I'll go make it alright, sweetheart?” Pausing and catching what you had just said, a blush crept onto your cheeks, turning them the brightest shade of red.

Suddenly the actor smiled brightly, eyes twinkling with affection as he stared at your burning cheeks. He sighed softly before a chuckle slipped out of his parted lips, “alright, love. Anything you want to eat is fine with me and before you ask, no I do not have any food allergies,” he sent you a smile, the genuine grin turning cheeky as he spoke up once more, “babe.” Quickly averting your gaze, you attempted to speak only for it to come out as a squeak, “a-alright. I'll go get on it then. It should only take a half hour...or...something.” 

Swinging your legs over the edge of the bed, you got up and smoothed out the clothes you were wearing, making them look less bunched up before heading out of the room and to the kitchen. Before you got too far, you heard the brunette make one final remark, “thank you, honey!”

You placed your palms over your brows as if to shield your orbs from the bright rays of the sun, although the irony in that is that there was not a speck of sunlight to spare. However, the embarrassment and the flustered feelings that had arose from that statement was far too much to bear, you just had to hide yourself from the invisible emotions as if they were more than just feelings. Sighing, you walked into the kitchen, ultimately deciding upon making some quick food that rested within the depths of your freezer. Going over to the machine, you flung open the door and tugged out a box of mozzarella sticks and egg rolls. Odd as it was, you were craving the two of those things and Tom did say he’d have whatever you were having…

With a sigh, you placed the boxes on the counter before fetching two trays.

A few minutes passed and you now had the foods cooking, all that was left was to wait for the timer to go off and to let them cool. You jumped as a pair of hands became delicately tangled within your strands of hair, seemingly stroking the soft locks while massaging your scalp at the same time.

Immediately you leaned into the touch, you had always been a sucker for your hair being stroked, let alone your head being massaged by gentle fingers. It had always been such a soothing experience for you yet you never bothered anyone to do it, figuring it was always more the pleasant surprise when someone just decided to do it.

The brunette above you chuckled softly as you turned your head upwards to look at him, his hands now resting on your forehead. “Didn’t I tell you to relax while I cooked?” you questioned him as a smile formed upon your rosy lips. “I am relaxing, being near you is relaxing,” he said, leaning down to kiss right above your brows. “You know…” you began, “you’re really tall.” He smirked slyly at you, “and you’re really short.” Letting out a huff, you tugged yourself out of his hold, marching forward and into the living room, not missing the sound of footsteps sounding from behind you. Before you could even reach the couch, a long pair of arms snaked around your waist, pulling you up from your stance on the ground. You let out a startled squeak as the two of you flopped onto the couch, you being the one on top.

“Fuck you and your tallness, giving you an advantage of taking longer strides,” you said with a giggle in your tone, “not fair!” “Oooooh! My dear, innocent sweet is using such foul words,” came his reply, a grin that stretched ear to ear on his face. “Well then, two shall play this game of “unfairness”. Fuck you and your shortness, giving you the advantage of cute looks.” You let out a laugh, your eyes sparkling, “cute? I think you need to get your vision checked, my dearest!” you barked out, amusement lacing your tone. He smiled softly, the joking tone fading from his voice as he spoke out his next words, “my dear…” he cradled your face within his hands, “my sweet, beautiful darling...you are cute...you are beautiful and amazing. Give yourself more credit.” A smile worked its way onto your lips, “thank you. You're beautiful as well, er, handsome. Sorry.”

You shyly turned your head away, the giggle below causing you to glance back down. Tom placed a hand over his chest in mock hurt, “the fair lady doesn't think me beautiful? Oh!” At the last word he closed his eyes and placed the back of his hand upon his forehead in a dramatic gesture. “Oh, my sincerest apologies, my dear sir, my dear beautiful sir! You are the fairest in the land, the loveliest and the most beautiful.” “Now the fair lady dares to lie to me?” He brought his hand back down to rest on your shoulder, “only you could be all of those things.”   
A blush crept onto your cheeks, painting them a light shade of crimson, “you make it seem like I'm some sort of princess…” you finished your sentence off with a soft chuckle. “Oh, but sweetheart, you are a princess,” he wrapped his arms around you, “and you're my princess.” “Then is it fair that you be my prince?” A laugh erupted from the man, the cute laugh you adored and practically lived off of, “why of course, but wouldn't we be kings and queens?” You thought for a moment, “Tom we'd have to be married for that,” you laughed out. “Hm, it seems the fair lady is correct. Then princess and prince it shall be!” he declared. You nodded softly, jumping when the oven sounded out the alarm that your quick made dinner was finished.

Tom chuckled heartily at your startled reaction, releasing you and retracting his arms away from your form so you could get up. His hand held onto your arm gently, letting his fingers trail down your wrist as you slipped away from his grasp. Before you could get too far, he swung his leg down and let his foot hit the ground before standing up and following you. 

When he walked in, you were pulling the sizzling breaded cheese sticks out of the oven along with the egg rolls, your eyes twinkling as you set them on the stove to cool. Once you had set them down, you turned your body towards Thomas, a sudden thought striking you.

He seemed so formal, he probably ate at the table! He was such a gentleman and there was no doubt in your mind that he did indeed have manners, he most certainly had manners. You nervously cast a glance over to the cluttered table, it was honestly the dirtiest thing in the house and there was no way you'd reveal the messy surface underneath all the items on top of it.

“Uh..” You started as you went over your solutions, your options were very limited. Tom came up from behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist, “something wrong, kitten?” Quickly you shook your head before ultimately nodding your head in the end. “I just...my table's really fucking dirty, i'm not gonna lie. So..would you like to eat in my bed..? I'm really sorry for my bad manners and I promise i'll clean it tomorr-” Thomas cut you off with a kiss, soothing and affectionate. “My dear, please cease in fretting over me. It's alright, everything's okay.” You nodded softly before looking back up, “it's just..i'm sure you’re used to so much better.” 

The brunette stared at you with a gleaming gaze, eyes practically glowing. “Of course i'm used to so much better because how can I look at a table and find it lovely when i've been gazing at your elegance for so long?”

Holy shit.

You stopped all your movement and looked up at the actor. This man, this god had the smoothest words you had ever heard anyone ever say. The fact that he was saying these very words to you made your heart strings stretch with pride and affection, pride that you had managed to find someone that loved you this much. Of course all the affection you felt was solely for the Brit, not for anyone or anything else at the moment. To say you were shocked would be an understatement, you were appalled by the love he showered upon you, how caring he was.

“Thomas..I...you truly have a way with words…” you said softly as you looked down, cheeks flushed red. The said man cast a cheeky grin your way, “only for you, my love.”

You averted your gaze and busied yourself with setting the food onto plates. After a few minutes you turned and went to hand Tom his dish only to find your face about to collide with his chest. Squeaking softly, you stumbled back, almost tripping had it not been for his quick reflexes. “I'm sorry my sweet, are you slight?” You blinked twice, biting the inside of your cheek as you nodded, “yes, thank you for catching me.” The brunette chuckled softly and nodded his head, “no problem, dear. Sorry for giving you such a fright.” You shrugged it off due to your hands being full, you couldn't wave him off. Seeing the plate you had been previously offering to him, he pointed to it, sending you a questioning look to which you smiled and handed it to him. “Thank you, sweetheart.” “You're welcome.”

The two of you went to your bedroom to eat, switching the TV on and flipping to some comedy channel, sharing laughs as you ate. When the both of you had finished the dinner, Thomas had offered to wash the dishes but you had declined, saying that “he was still a guest...of some sort”. But with him being the gentlemen he was, he refused no for an answer and you ended up drying the dishes he washed, for you were as stubborn as he was.

You finished your task before the male, who was currently washing his soapy hands, so with your new freedom you took the liberty to show him a little love like he did to you so often. Going up behind him, you snaked your arms around his waist and pulled his body flush against yours. It was a bit awkward due to the fact he was much taller than you, but you made it work.

The brunette made a small sound, the noise almost like that of a hum and an “oh” before he leaned into your embrace, a smile stretching across his face as he dried his hands with the towel that hung on the hook in front of him. “And what is my dear little minx up to?” he questioned softly, looking over his shoulder and gazing down at you. “Nothing at all,” you purred out, tightening your grasp on him and leaning your face against his back, “you're very warm.” The brunette laughed heartily, his voice rumbling within his chest and vibrating against your ear, “and you're very soft, also very warm. You're like a blanket.” Thomas let his hand rest on the flesh of your arm, “very soft indeed,” he said in a soft, affectionate tone. 

Giggling softly, you loosened your grip slightly so the brunette could turn and face you, but once he did he lifted you up into his arms. You yelped slightly, surprise coursing through your mind. All the Brit did was laugh as he carried you off to your room, softly dropping you on the sheets once the two of you had arrived at the destination.

Laughing, you circled your arms around his neck, pulling him down as he hovered over you. As you brought him down for a kiss, his hands moved so that one rested above your shoulder and on the bed while the other was perched upon your head, stroking your hair.

The kiss began soft and gentle and every so often you would find yourself opening your eyes to gaze at him, only to see his eyes open and a smile form on his lips as he kissed you harder. 

After a few moments, he pulled away, granting you both some desperately needed oxygen. A bright grin was planted on his face, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at you. You could only imagine what your own expression looked like, probably stupid. You always looked odd when showing your affection, always had this weird lopsided grin that never seemed to fade, your eyes shining with some sort of affection that glowed. Tom didn't seem to mind it though, in fact his eyes held adoration, they held affection.

Gently, he rolled off of you, laying on his side and gazing fondly at you as you turned to rest on your side as well. Your hands moved up to pet his curls, oh how you loved those curls. A light blush dusted your cheeks, painting them a rosy pink. “So you have to work Friday right?” you questioned softly. “It's just an interview, but yes. It shouldn't take too long.” You smiled softly, “it's alright even if it does take a long time, I have to go to my boss. He requires me to check in with him on the latest work, give me tips on it and stuff, deadlines. I do that every Friday actually.” The actor nodded softly, his eyelids growing heavy though he attempted to hide it. “Why don't we go to sleep?” you asked softly, voice hushed and gentle. Thomas nodded and with that affirmation, you switched off the lights, turning off the TV once you had settled into bed. The brunette beside you cuddled you up into his arms, whispering sweet nothings into your ear as to make you tired as well.

A few minutes passed and you found yourself dozing off, the last thing you heard being whispered in your ear being along the lines of, “sleep well, my dove, I'll see you in the morning.” Even in your sleep-like state, a light red hue arose on your cheeks. There was a kiss planted on your forehead before you blanked out and fell into dreamland.


	6. Chapter 6

Your eyes fluttered open and you were met with Thomas’ sleeping face; however, the fatigue you felt kept your signature blush from arising. How you despised that scarlet dust, making you look so innocent. The brunette didn't seem to mind though- You cut yourself off, this would only make falling back asleep a harder task.

With a yawn and a groan, you rolled to your side to check the clock only to see a ‘two forty-five’ bolded in red stare you in the face. You let a sigh roll past your lips, knowing that if you woke up now sleep would never come and look at the state you were in right now-awake. You were very much awake much to your disfortune. 

You let your hand move up to your face, sliding down your forehead to your chin, tugging at the skin that it crawled over. This was _annoying._ With clumsy movements, you sluggishly moved off of the mattress, softly pushing the sheets off your form. Your efforts in not waking up the actor were great and you had succeeded in not disturbing his slumber. With a smile, you walked around the edge of the bed and placed a soft smooch onto his temple before walking out the door.

Quietly tiptoeing to the kitchen, you began to heat yourself up a cup of tea, staring wistfully out the window and gazing up at the stars that twinkled in the velvety black of night. The soft beep of the microwave roused you from your sleepy state and you hastily scrambled up to switch off the blaring before it reached Tom’s ears. 

The cup gave off a strong warmth that caused a burning sensation to erupt within your palms. It didn't last long for you set it down so you could put a few spoonfuls of sugary sweetness into it along with a dash of milk. Taking a slow sip, you sighed contently and made your way to the back door, back hunched. 

Steam arose from the cup as you peered up from under your eyelids at the sky. A light blanket of frost had descended upon the ground turning it to ice. Cold enough for Jack Frost but not cold enough for a complete winter. It wasn't even close to spring, winter was still hitting you guys hard, relentless.

The small sliver of a moon only helped to light up the twilight hour, dull enough to let the beads of white twinkle. Taking a seat on the carpeted floor, you closed your eyes and sipped at your warm beverage once again. You could feel the bags under your eyes increase as the urge to sleep became stronger. No matter how strong the urge, there would always be something nagging at the back of your mind for you to stay awake, stay alert. Maybe tonight would be different and you'd actually fall back into your dream-like state...although that was a rarity. Over the span of three years, you had only managed to count five times you had achieved the goal in falling back into the void in times like this.

By the time you had finished your mug of tea you had already situated yourself upon a wall close to the window, watching as tiny snowflakes began to flutter down from the heavens, shining in the moonlight as they danced down. You had set your cup down on a shelf only moments ago, that's when you had started dozing off.

With a soft grin, you witnessed as clouds came to cover the moon, the effect breathtaking. It was as if the sky was an ocean, once the clouds had pushed their way in, thin streams of light poured out through the cracks. That's what sent you into a cozy sleep, your small stature hunched against the side of a wall comfortably.

Soft footsteps came from your left but you were too far gone to pick them up, you only twitched when the floor creaked beside you. There was a sigh and then a chuckle before a body sat beside you.

Thomas stared out the window, marvelling the beautiful sights before him. Winter was always so beautiful, his optimistic attitude helped keep away the winter blues that would normally haunt a good majority of the human race. He quietly contemplated if you ever got the winter blues, wondered if he'd be enough to help you through them if you did happen to be unlucky enough to have to deal with them. 

After a moment he took his gaze off of the outdoors and tossed you a glance, not missing the shiver that made your arms tremble. 

Not wanting to go back to the bedroom just yet, he bundled you up in his arms and let your head rest on his chest. Your form instantaneously nestled into his upon instinct, seeking out the warmth he radiated. Smiling softly, he gently pet at your hair, letting his slender fingers run through the strands every so often. 

His gaze was shared between you and the outside snowglobe, the little flakes twirling about in the soft breeze outside. Sighing, he let his head rest upon yours, smiling and humming ever so softly with a baritone for a voice.

That's when you awoke, awoken by the soft humming of his voice, although it didn't bother you since you had been sleeping so lightly. Even if he was talking too loud, as if he would, you wouldn't be cross with him. Ever so softly, you began humming along to his gentle tune, leaning more into his embrace and revelling in the feel of his body. It was soft, warm too, and you were so used to the cold fingers of loneliness scraping at you. This was something you now cherished, adored and loved, you had always held affection for being held.

Thomas had started a bit, his arms going tense before relaxing upon yours once more. “Startle you did I?” you questioned softly, voice holding a drowsy tone to it. “A bit…” came his chuckled reply before a pair of lips came down to peck your cheek. “Couldn't sleep?” his voice was beside your ear, warm breath tickling your neck as he spoke. “Yeah, what about you?” A shiver played at your spine causing all the small little hairs to stand on end. There was a hum, “I cracked my eyes open and noticed you missing, I went to investigate where my kitten was.” Another shiver, you loved being called that, you loved all the names he gave you. “How charming of my prince to look for me at this hour,” your last word was distorted due to the yawn that interrupted it.

He smiled brightly, “whenever my dearest fair lady needs me, I shall answer her call. But I believe we must both answer to the call of sleep.” You nodded softly, head bobbing as you agreed with him for you were tired now that another body was pressed to yours. The warmth made sleep inevitable, the urge impossible to suppress. After a moment you stood up, your joints popping softly as you did so. You went to offer your hand to Thomas but found him already standing upright as well, and very close, he was so very close. Blinking, you had to crane your neck back so you could see his face, not missing the simper he sent down at you. “Cheeky boy..” you muttered, a smirk tugging at your lips before you stalked off to your room, the brunette just at your heels.

 

The next day came and went along with the next three, the only things happening were minor and not to be of note. Thomas had an interview that he had gone to, the task only taking roughly an hour of his time while you had sought out your boss. He required you to present your most recent art and your updates every Friday. Of course you had gone, just like you always had and let him lay down his criticism on it, taking in all the advice he had to offer. It wasn't much either, just a few simple words over how to use oil paints in a more elegant manner.

With those days gone, you now found yourself stuck in Monday once again. It had officially been a week since you and the brunette had began dating and you rejoiced in that fact.

Tonight you would have to go serve the intoxicated drunken fools at the bar. Normally you only worked there every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday but due to exceptional business you had been called in because of the increase in customers. It wasn't too much of a bother so you had agreed to be there at ten sharp to help your co-workers save their asses.

Thomas would be away for the majority of the day but you had tipped him off with the information that you had to work tonight. He had sounded busy so you tried to be brief, making the conversation quick and cutting off with a simple “love you” at the end. 

Setting your pencil down, you glanced down at your roughly sketched thing you had dubbed a car. It was quite the abomination, horrendous in more ways than one.

Flicking your eyes over to the clock you were appalled to see the numbers read ‘nine forty-five’. Fifteen more minutes, you had spent three hours on this thing, this car. What a waste of time, you should have just drawn something more simple instead of the interior of a vehicle. That was always difficult.

Clicking your tongue, you hopped off the bed and threw your clothes off, hastily climbing into your work attire. Once you had finished you grabbed your phone, wallet, and keys before dashing out the door, barely remembering to lock the knob.

Wasting no more time, you jumped into your automobile and popped the keys into their designated location before backing out and driving off.

Within a good ten minutes, you found yourself staring at the blaring lights of the bar, the music ringing loud from the inside out.

Stepping out of your car, you shut the door and locked it with a small, audible “beep”. You weren't looking forward to this at all, every time things got busy enough for you to cancel one of your days off things always went wrong in more ways than one. From brawls to broken cups, it all happened on nights like these.

Taking a breath in, you marched forward and flung the door open. The smell of body odor was overpowering and you immediately scrunched up your nose, when you said the bar was upper class you had meant it. But nights like these it went from one of the best bars to one of the worst in the blink of an eye.

Following the smell, whistles were directed at you and you being the reserved person you were, shied away.

Making your way through the crowd, you focussed your orbs on the counter in front of you, ignoring the catcalls. Eventually you did make it to the destination and took your place behind its marble surface.

It was when you had finished up around twenty orders that things became quite...uncomfortable. Much to your surprise, both the female co-workers had called off or denied coming in on their day off, already having plans. That left you with the unfortunate luck of being the center of unwanted flirtatious attention.

Sliding a glass down the table to one of the more gentlemanly men, you glared at the clock, seeing it read ‘four ‘o’ five’. Twenty-five more minutes of this. Twenty-five. You weren't sure if you'd last that long but then again that's why you'd taken this job aside from the extra bucks. You were a night owl, hence the reason you could stay up so late finishing art projects. It was only a few more minutes...close to a half hour, surely you could make it. The other employees here had left roughly an hour ago along with most of the customers, the ones remaining you stayed weary of due to you being the only one left.

A hand climbing up your arm dragged your attention back to the present and you flinched away. There was a deep chuckle followed by twin laughs. Three grins peered down, more and more coming and you trembled slightly, backing up. One of the drunken oafs climbed over the counter and tried to grab at you but you took a step back. “Sir, I must ask you to sit back in your seat.” A loud bellow erupted from the man, “think you can tell me what to do?” You frowned slightly, “I would hope so considering I am in charge of this place as of right now.” Mistake.

Mistake mistake mistake mistake.

He cast a simper up at you before snapping his fingers, the two men behind him jumping the counter and tugging at your arms. With wide eyes, you attempted to yank your arms free, only managing to pull a muscle in the process. 

With fear glittering in your eyes, you swallowed back your scream and looked up at the man, the “boss” as one of the men holding you had referred to him as.

The “boss” softly grabbed your chin within his thumb and forefinger, roughly tugging it upward with a tight hold. You swore you could already feel the angry purple blooming upon your skin from his grip.

“And are you still in the position to even dream about telling me what to do now, hm? Pretty thing like you should be on your knees takin’ it up the ass like the whore you are.” If you weren't shaking before you were certainly now, you were practically an earthquake. You didn't respond to his question, you didn't know how or where to even begin. That was the wrong choice apparently.

A sharp, stinging slap came to your cheek, whipping your head to the side and causing your hair to fly. Another slap, and another before he spoke up once again. “Answer me. Who's in control here?” he brought his hand down to your chest, squeezing your breast harshly. The tears that had welled in your eyes from the crude physical contact finally fell as you sobbed out your broken words, “you.” It was almost a whisper but you made sure it was audible. “Who owns you, whore like you got a pimp?” You closed your eyes, shaking your head. The man huffed softly, “being all slutty like that in that outfit you'd think you'd be a little bit more fun. Instead of pulling this ‘don't hurt me’ act.” You were at a loss of what to say, apparently wearing a blouse with a black vest on accompanied by black slacks was slutty now. Good god, you weren't even wearing heels. The squeeze on your breast brought you back to reality and you tried to flinch away once more only for one of the men’s erections to poke your leg. Frantic now, you tried to squirm out of their grip. Bad choice. 

A fist came down on your eye causing your vision to swim with black. Another fist and then another before he let up. You could already feel your left eye beginning to swell along with your lower lip. Head lolling lazily to the side, you stared at the floor and whimpered, “Thomas…” The brute heard you, “Thomas? That your pimp you dirty little liar?” Again, you remained silent, refusing to answer this time. A few minutes passed and your fuzzy hearing picked up the sound of something unzipping. However, before you could be faced with one of your worst fears, a bell sounded from the door and Tom walked in. “Tom!” you called out through a swollen lip, your right eye watching as his gaze travelled over to you, smile disappearing completely and instead replaced by one of the most menacing expressions you had ever seen.

“Tom? Why are you calling out to someone who isn't here, you little whore?” Thomas instantly dropped his things to the floor before marching up to them quickly, like he was some sort of demon. The actor grabbed the man's hair and spun him around so he was facing the brunette for a brief second; however, Tom hastily bounced out of the way and slammed the man's head into the table ruthlessly before whipping his gaze back over to the two men that held your weakened form.

Tom seized the wrist that was wrapped around your arm and pried it off before doing the same with the other. Quickly he pulled you to his form before bringing his long leg up to kick up and forward, landing his foot right where the sun don't shine on one of the men. The other received the same treatment, gaining no mercy from the furious brunette. Thomas’ hold on your shoulders tightened as he stared down at the men before unclenching his fist and pointing towards the door. You couldn't tell but from the sounds of it, it was a struggle for him to keep his mouth slack enough to speak and low enough to not shout. 

“Get out.” 

It was low and filled with venom, no restraints on the hidden threats that rested below those words.

It took a few moments but eventually the injured men had hobbled out, dragging their boss’ unconscious form with them as they limped off into the night.

Once their bodies were out of sight Thomas quickly turned to you, his glare fading, replaced with deep concern, worry creasing his brow. “Oh, my love, I am so sorry..” his voice was filled with such a great amount of pain that you could feel it make your own heart ache. Before you could even respond, he had placed his thumb over your cheek, scanning over the wounds littering your face. 

His finger trailed softly over your puffed up eye, brushing a splotch of scarlet off of the bridge of your nose as he did so. “I'm so dearly sorry, my kitten…” he wrapped you up in his arms, your face resting against his chest so you could relax to his heartbeat. “I'm just glad you even came here...especially at this hour..” Thomas paused, his nose burrowed within your hair so he could soak in your scent, just to know that you were here and you were with him. “I had to work late and I remembered you speaking of this bar to me...I imagined the visit would be more pleasant but, as you said, I'm glad that I got here.”

Your eyelids sagged with exhaustion and you leaned into the brunette's body more as fatigue began to take its toll on you. Softly you spoke up, “could we...could we go home?” The actor nodded, “of course, love. My house or yours?” On Friday you had decided to stay at his house for the night, staying Saturday and Sunday as well and you had come to the pleasant conclusion that his home was far more comforting than your own, smelling like him and all. “Yours.” There was a weak chuckle above you followed by a nod, “my house it is then, my dear beloved.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any grammar errors, this was more stress writing. It's not a good day and I wanted to write and get some of the stress out so here you go (hence the reason it's 1000 words longer than what I usually write)

In the end the two of you had taken his car, you deciding to leave yours at the bar. You would return tomorrow to drive back to your lonesome apartment...or maybe just to Tom's.

You suddenly didn't feel safe at all, not one bit. You assumed it was normal considering the events that just happened, but the brunette's arm was tightly wrapped around your shoulders so you were pressed flush against his side. “I'm sorry…” Thomas’ grip on you tightened, “for what, love? Getting attacked? For my first time there not being a pleasant one? Because if so you shouldn't be. I am sorry for not getting there sooner and I assure you,” he paused for a second, “I will make those men really fucking sorry.”

You looked down, keeping your eyes on your feet as Tom stepped in sync with you, walking up to his front door. “Yeah...I'm sorry for all of that...but I'm most sorry that I upset you…for making you feel like you should apologize, like it's your fault or something.”

The actor unlocked the door and walked inside, softly shutting it with a small click. He didn't say a word as he walked you over to the couch and sat you down, taking a seat next to you he took your face in his palms with a tender touch. “My love, my dear, beautiful sweet. I will apologize because I am so very sorry that this happened. And...yes it is true I do blame myself a bit because I didn't get there sooner but you should not be so kind as to worry about that. You do not need to be sorry, love. You are fine...well...uh…” he trailed off as he took in your face. “I truly detest how they painted your face in purple. Purple is only lovely when it's not caused by crude physical actions, those men give lavender such a foul name.” Tom stood up from the couch, motioning you to stay seated.

Obeying, you watched with one eye as he rushed off to the bathroom, coming back with a bundle of the needed supplies within his arms. Sitting down beside you once more, he dabbed a bit of alcohol onto a ball of cotton, gently pressing it to your lip. In an effort to distract yourself from the stinging sensation, you spoke. “Please don't blame yourself though…” Thomas stopped his small movements and stared at you, mouth set in a firm line. Thinking you had angered him you quickly opened your mouth once more, “I'm so sorry...I….I didn't mean...I'll just...close my mouth now….” 

You had looked down, only to look back up when you caught the small grin tugging at his lips out of your peripheral vision, a small chuckle erupting from the man. “What did I ever do to deserve something as precious as you?” Before you could respond, a pair of arms gripped you, pulling you close and enveloping you in a loving embrace. After a moment, you brought your shaking arms up to hold his form. It only took a second more for something to snap within you and send you over the edge of despair. You began to sob.

You sobbed loudly into Thomas’ shoulder, tugging at his shirt as you scrunched your eyes closed. The brunette hummed softly and sat down with you on the couch, holding your body in his long arms. Nestling his nose within your silky strands, he continued humming into your hair, his own voice quivering softly. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.” You knew you were babbling, the actor said nothing as you cried and apologized, just continued to hum in your hair.

It felt like hours seemed to pass before you had quieted a bit, body shivering and breaths trembling. That was when the actor took it upon himself to speak up, his own voice wavering, “there is nothing, nothing at all to be sorry about, dear. Please...please feel at ease just for tonight, or relax the tiniest bit, I want you to feel alright. If you cannot relax, then I won't let myself either, and together we will ease the pain. I will help you, let me in and I will help you. I can't fix everything but it doesn't mean I won't try. I love you. I want to be here for you, I want you to be at peace, I don't want you worrying over me so much...or yourself for that matter. When you are with me or vise versa...you should be able to feel calm,” the brunette paused, “I'm sorry, that sounded rather demanding. It wasn't meant to be.”

You stayed silent and you felt Tom fidget a bit, opening his mouth one last time, “I'm sorry, I am in no place to tell you to be calm after what happened today.” The brunette dug his nose back into your hair, fingers running through your locks. Softly you turned in his lap so you could face him, “it’s fine. Don't be sorry, it's only natural for you to want me to relax. Just like I want you to feel at ease. I..uh...I don't mean to annoy you with my excessive amounts of apologies.” Thomas laughed softly into your hair, “you’re the only one with excessive amounts of apologies?” You looked away shyly, your good eye blinking slowly, “I suppose not.” Though you tried to hide your blooming smile, it still shined through. “There's my girl,” Tom spoke out, smiling fondly at you and leaning down to kiss you, his touch tender on your lip.

He pulled away after a moment or so, a smile on his face. There was a beat of silence, comforting before you spoke up, “I'm sorry for crying.” Thomas lightly slapped your elbow, “no more apologies for the rest of the night. I'll even refrain from being hypocritical and I shall cease my apologetic words for the evening.”

Sending another shy smile up at him, you softly took his hand into yours, “thank you, Thomas.” His eyes softened, a gentle smile tugging the corners of his lips up. You squeezed his hand, closing your eyes and resting your head on his chest, cherishing the moment even more when he brought his free hand up to pet at your hair. “Anytime, sweetheart.”

 

The brunette had cleaned your wounds after that, taking care to be as tender as possible with them. Placing bandages of cotton on the bruises that could be covered and attempting with the larger ones. Due to having to still go into public, you had requested he cover your injured eye, embarrassment nagging at your gut. He had complied and pasted a square of fabric to it, the cloth only covering half of it but you had dubbed it good enough.

The rest of the night was spent sharing kisses and hugs, swimming through the endless channels on TV. You had stayed up until five in the morning and Thomas was keen on keeping consciousness for as long as your eyes remained open. His arms constantly wrapped around you, holding you in a comforting embrace in a grand attempt to keep your fears away. It had worked and he had achieved that aspect, keeping you calm and relaxed throughout the night as he had vowed. You couldn't even begin to describe how grateful you were for his kindness, his devotion. His love.

It seemed like only a second passed before you awoke, the sun shining in your eyes forcing you to turn away. Your nose nestled into the actor’s shoulder, eyes sagging with sleep as you yawned. Today you would be going out into society with Tom, the two of you would attempt to be as inconspicuous as possible due to the fact you weren't ready for all the hate mail that would surely come your way. The man had a large fan base apparently and you were sure that you'd be getting multiple, if not hundreds of emails wishing you horrid things.

Thomas had understood your concerns and agreed to your wishes leaving you a grateful, smiling mess.

The actor suddenly shuffled beneath you, frowning and cracking an eye open to look at you. “Hey,” you whispered out, a tired goofy smile plastered on your face. All you got in response was another groan and a pair of arms around you. “Sorry for keeping you up all ni-” A pair of lips silenced you and a soft hush afterwards. Obeying, you simply took this time to admire the brunette, the rays of sunlight giving him an angelic affect. “You're rather lovely, all sleepy and stuff,” you said softly, “I quite enjoy sleepy Tom.” You rubbed your good eye, still smiling through your slightly swollen lip. “Same to you, dear.” You let out a quiet giggle before slipping out of Tom's arms, swinging your feet over the edge of the bed before standing up. The man gave a moan of disapproval, “can't you stay in bed a bit longer?” Shaking your head, you softly added, “I have to get ready. I want to look nice today since people are bound to ask for your picture.” The brunette huffed and rolled over, facing you, “what do you want me to say if they ask me if you're my girlfriend?” You blinked, leaning against the doorframe for your legs were still too numb with sleep to hold you up for too long, you were like a newborn fawn in the morning. “Just ignore them if you can...if it really comes down to it and you really must reply...then I suppose you could say yes. I mean I don't want to lie and I know it's not ganna be a secret-” you interrupted yourself with a yawn, hearing Tom's soft amused chuckle, “forever.” Nodding, the actor got up from his side, now sitting on the edge of the bed, “it can stay a secret for as long as you want, darling. I am eager to let the world know that you are my beautiful doll...but I don't want you to do anything you aren't prepared for.” “Likewise, babe.” 

Thomas let a chuckle rumble out from within his chest, “thanks, love.” Looking away, cheeks slightly flushed, you nodded, “no prob...I'ma go get ready now,” you paused, “do you want breakfast?” The actor yawned blissfully, eyes squeezing shut in the process. It was always rather adorable in your opinion, the sleepy side of Tom.

“That would be lovely, sweetheart.” With a nod, you hurried off to the kitchen and began bustling about, having already navigated your way around it on the weekend.

Within minutes you had a quick breakfast prepared, needing all the time you could get to look as best you could. A pair of eggs sat on a plate along with a few strips of bacon, a glass of juice off to the side awaiting Tom patiently as you rushed off to the bathroom. 

A few of your supplies rested here, enough that you could work with and look decent...at least a bit anyways. Normally you didn't wear makeup so you didn't own much: just eyeliner, eyeshadow, and some concealer. 

Getting to work, you quickly began applying all of the items, trying to be as delicate with the details as possible. A pair of arms snaked around your waist and a mouth came down to your ear, “you look dashing already, kitten.” Glaring at your own reflection, you sighed softly, “I suppose. I’ll have to change the bandages before we go out.” Thomas paused, “I can help you if you’d like, love.”

Nodding, you finished up with the final touches and began tugging the bloodied wads of cloth off. Once you had gotten the last of them off, Thomas grimaced before getting out the new supplies. You paused and went to turn to look in the mirror but the brunette covered your eyes before you could see. “It’s really not that bad,” you could hear the lies through his teeth, “but I don't want you becoming self conscious over something like this when you’re beautiful. It will heal.” 

Nodding, you turned to face him, eyes closed even when he pulled his palms away. The man made quick work of bandaging you back up, being gentle with you as he did so. “Thank you, babe,” you replied after a moment. You could hear the pause he made, the uncomfortable silence settling between you. Suddenly you picked up movement, his clothes rustling as he took a step towards you. Quickly, he enveloped you in his arms, very tight if you might add. 

He picked you up off the ground and cradled you in his arms. Had it not been for your somber mood, you would have smiled, but the image of Tom grimacing caused your stomach to churn with the feeling of ugliness. Those men at the bar had _marked_ you, maybe not sexually and you were thankful for that, but they had definitely marked you physically. It would take a week or two for it to heal over and even then there could be the possibility of scars.

It was when the actor softly kissed your temple, trailing kisses down to your neck, that you were brought out of your thoughts. A soft sigh escaped you lips as you relaxed within his hold, eyes falling shut. Thomas let his lips fall to your ear, “I noticed you had only made enough breakfast for me so I made you some, hope you like pancakes, love,” he said with a smile, small and sincere as he attempted to cure your fragile self thoughts. “Thank you, i’m not terribly hungry so I thought I could go without.” 

The brunette set you down and booped your nose, “that’s not healthy, my dear kitten.” Giggling softly, you leaned against the counter, elbows resting on the glassy surface as you stared at Tom. The man smirked, striking an overly dramatic pose, “take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Laughing into your hand, you pulled your phone out of your pocket and snapped a quick photo, “don’t mind if I do.” Thomas, mouth turned up in an amused smile, turned towards you, “I didn’t actually expect you to, but it’s about time we started taking pictures of each other.” Grinning, you peered up at him, “you could have just asked, I know i’m quite easy on the eyes.” You had placed your hands on your hips and tilted your head to the side, “then again, you’re far more easy on the eyes.”

Scoffing, the actor left the bathroom and retreated to the bed leaving you confused and quickly walking at his heels. Before you could even try to make an expression, Tom whipped out his phone and captured your image, the face you made must have been priceless. The brunette was left in a fit of giggles before you forced him to show you but he had denied, laughs still escaping his parted lips. Eventually you had pried the phone out of his fingers and gazed upon yourself. The more you observed it the funnier and more embarrassing it got. Your mouth was set in a gasp while your single orb was widened in surprise, pupils shrunken from the flash of his camera.

Cheeks bright from humiliation and laughter, you handed Tom his phone, giggles still escaping you as he took the device back and smooched your cheek with a chuckle.

After that situation, the two of you had made quick work of the pancakes he had cooked up, which were delicious. Moments passed before the pair of you had hopped into his car. There was an enormous debate on if you should be allowed to go to the bank to get more money out for your day of shopping with Tom, the man assuring you he’d pay for everything himself. You had explained how the guilt would gradually eat you alive if you let him have his way with this. In the end he had agreed to letting you go to the ATM. 

Settling on one hundred dollars, you hopped back into his car when you had gotten the money, figuring you wouldn't be spending too much.

Once you both arrived at the location of the chain of stores you had in mind, Tom parked his car and hopped out. The minute you had opened the door the brunette was already at your side, offering you a hand to which you gladly accepted. Closing the door, the actor had offered you his arm to latch onto but you had kindly declined, giving him your reason: wanting to stay a secret. Recalling your words from two nights ago, he nodded and instead walked close to your side. 

Every moment or so one of you would pass a joke or awful pun to the other making laughs burst from the both of you. Already having gone to Starbucks, the two of you made your way to a small art shop, you wanting to purchase multiple art supplies. 

You sipped on your coffee while Tom finished his scone, walking along the sidewalk talking quietly. Suddenly a woman approached the brunette, all smiles. A spark of jealousy came to life in your gut as you admired her flawless beauty. “Oh my god Tom, I am like your number one fan!” she screeched out. It took all your willpower to not cover your ears from the shrillness of it. 

Almost on cue, two other women appeared beside her, effectively forcing you off to the side. When the final girl came over, you were pushed to the ground, some of your coffee sloshing out of the cup and onto your shirt. The female turned towards you, profusely apologizing and offering a hand to help you up. You went to say it was alright but found her facing the actor already, whom was looking at you with concern glittering in his orbs. You waved your hand dismissively and conjured a tiny smile in an attempt to console him. He didn't buy it and tried to get closer to you but the group of females kept him at bay. Frowning, he put his hands out to either side of him as if to ward off animals, “everyone calm down. Everything’s going to be fine.” The three teens took a small step back, that last one staying right where she was. “Hey Tom,” she called out in that shrill voice, too perky for your liking. When the brunette turned his head towards her, annoyance flickering in his eyes, she leaned up and brought her lips to his, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

You paused, squeezing your cup harshly before immediately walking into the store you were standing outside of, it was a shoe shop. You heard the soft cheers of the other women as if congratulating a couple for their marriage. You knew you were being a bit over reactive..but were you? You knew that woman didn't know he was in a relationship...but who invades someone's personal space like that? Maybe you shouldn't have walked out like that, that was a bit immature. The moment you were behind the shelter of a row of shoes, you frowned and looked down at the ground, salty tears of jealousy sprouting from your orbs. 

Listening closely, you heard the muffled voice of Tom.

“Darling, I'm terribly sorry but you're invading my personal space right now and I already have a woman of my own,” his words were polite but his voice had a poisonous nip to it, “excuse me.” That last part was almost spat out, but at the same time charming if you were foolish enough to deceive yourself.

The door to the shop caused the bell to ring out as the brunette walked in, “love?” You heard him emit a sound of worry, slight guilt lacing his voice. “I'm terribly sorry, my dear. Oh goodness…” He was definitely worried, apologetic, and guilty when he shouldn't be. Peeking above the shelf, the item surprisingly short enough for you to see over while on your toes, you saw his scrunched up brows. His teeth were nestled in his bottom lip, tongue flicking out to lick the soft flesh every now and then.

Suddenly his eyes locked with yours, your own orbs widening at being found. Letting out a squeak, you scurried off, “please, sweetheart!” Ducking behind another shoe holding shelf, you quickly snatched away the stray tears and called out to him in reply to his words, “come find me, my sweet!”

Thomas must have taken the hint that you were not cross with him for he chuckled softly, the sound no doubt holding relief, before he commenced in the game of hide and seek. 

It only took minutes for him to find you _and_ catch you for every other time he had discovered you, you had darted away. But now he had you in his grasp, long arms latching onto your tiny form tightly. Panting slightly, you craned your neck to look up at the smiling brunette, the sight soothing to you. You could only help by smiling back, grin bright. 

Eventually the two of you headed towards the entrance of the store only to see the group of women chatting with some…

You took a step back while Tom stiffened, grip on you tightening. It was the men from the bar, they were laughing with those women, one of them had their arm draped over a blonde's shoulders. Obviously they were all very close to each other for they laughed and joked about. The man that had touched you in such a disgusting manner looked directly at you, eyes smirking. 

The actor held you close to his form before walking out the doors, the girl that had kissed him squealing. “So this is your girlfriend? She looks like dirt.” You ducked your head down mumbling out a sorry before your inner voice screamed into your head. 

You looked better than her, you were better than her. Tom frowned, his slender fingers tapping against your shoulder as he took in a breath of air, and as if reading your thoughts mumbled out, “looks better than you.” Of course the female didn't hear him, neither did the others and you and Tom shared a small smirk before walking off to the side. “Wait, Thomas! Could I get one more kiss?!” The said man chuckled and called out, “no, sorry dear. You got your single free kiss. I don't offer them out,” then leaning down to whisper to you, “and I don't want her cooties.” You giggled softly and leaned up to kiss the brunette's cheek. “Could we go pick up those art supplies if you're still up for it?” The brunette smiled, “of course, my love, I'm paying though.” You let out a groan, “then what was the point of me bringing any money?” The Brit laughed loudly, “that's exactly what I want to know!” Smiling softly, you turned and threw your trashed cup in a garbage can, making it into the goal by a few mere centimeters. 

“I don't know, you’re always paying for everything I want anyways, what if I start doing that?” you asked lovingly while peering up at him. “Ah, but my dear kitten, you'd have to be sneaky.” “You saying I'm not?” you questioned, mock hurt in your tone. “Of course not,” his face held a mischievous smirk on it as he continued walking, his arm slipping down so his hand could rest on your hip. “The next time you see something you want, I'm buying it,” you declared, a squeak erupting from you as his hand darted from your hip to your ass, giving it a squeeze. “Unlikely, my queen.” Huffing and flustered, you reached a hand down and squeezed his ass back, picking up the audible “oh” he made before leaning into your palm.

He had the ass of a god, ironic due to the fact he played the god “Loki”. Yes, you had researched the characters he had assumed the role of for curiosity had clutched you tightly and forced you to seek out the answer. 

Thomas looked down at you and winked slyly before letting his hand roam back to your hip, continuing to smile as you did the same. “You know I don't mind if we walk around with your hand on my ass,” he stated out of the blue. Laughing with bright cheeks, you shook your head, “in your dreams, Thomas!” The man chuckled, eyes smiling at you, “just saying, in case you feel the need to, it’s all yours to grope.” Flushing a deep red, you covered your eyes with your hand, “you're impossible.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals are over and school is out  
> Finals and writers block would be the reason this chapter was delayed for so long.

The two of you finished up your shopping early, Tom had bought you all the art supplies you had come for. Though you had tried to use your own currency, he had denied you and bought it himself. In return, when he was too lost in glancing at a dress, you had snuck away and bought him a gift. It was small but very beautiful, very much worth the amount of money you had paid for it.

The minute you had stuffed the item within the confines of the art bag, Thomas came over questioning where you had went. You had told him you were just snooping about, glancing at things while he had marveled the silky fabric. Then the question you feared was asked, “dear, what do you think of that dress?” he motioned towards it as he questioned you. Your eye twitched slightly, it was no doubt beautiful and would most certainly fit your form in all the right ways. You were positive the Brit knew what you were thinking.

A smirk broke out onto his face, “would you like to try it on, love?” You paused, looking down and biting your cheek, “how much is it…?” The brunette looked off to the side, “not much, not much at all.” That was a lie, the biggest damn lie you had ever heard. “If it’s over a hundred i’m buying it if you really want to see me in it,” you quickly stated. “Love, it’s really not too much at all, please let me get this for you. I enjoy making you happy.” You sighed and glanced up at the ceiling, fingers clenched around the plastic bag in your hand, “you’re becoming like your doppelganger Loki. At least tell me the actual price.” 

Thomas let a sigh escape his lips, looking down at his clasped hands, “three hundred and eighty-five dollars but it would look absolutely lovely on you. I mean...if you really don’t want it that’s alright.” With a groan you let your gaze drop to the floor, this man really did take pleasure out of spoiling you rotten but you never really wore dresses and it simply wasn't worth it. “I’m sorry...that's too much especially if I don't wear dresses too often. Come, you’ve already spoiled me enough, Tom. Spoil me with your love instead,” you said softly, a small smile forming on your lips. He paused for a moment, lips turning up into a smirk, “what type of love?” Blushing brightly you buried your face within in your hand, a weak attempt at a facepalm. “Give me hugs, give me kisses,” you looked up, the flush in your face fading slightly, “make me crave more of your affection and attention.”

Simpering down at you, he brought your body flush against his, “this is public, Thomas. Whatever dirty things are churning in your mind need to wait,” your voice was firm, the only thing taking the subtle threat from it was the tremble of your tone. The actor leaned down to your ear, “I could make you scream, say my name in more ways than you ever thought possible.” You bit back a moan at the thought, so he was a god at dirty talk too? This would be interesting.

You softly pushed at his chest, pupils dilating, “wait until we’re home, you dork.” There was a chuckle before a pair of lips brushed your temple, smooching the skin quietly, “then this dork has scored it with the queen.” You rolled your eyes half heartedly, “I’m not part of a game you know,” was all you could mumble out. Once again he pulled you to his form, leading you to the exit of the shop, “oh no, but you are, love. You are the Game of Life, you are life itself, my reason for living,” his lower lip brushed your ear, whispered breaths tickling your skin, “and you are _divine_.” 

You didn't bite your lip quick enough to contain the moan that slipped out, it was almost whorish. “St-stop that,” you didn’t know what your problem was but you were really getting into his words. The Brit chuckled softly, huskiness lacing his laugh before he opened the car door for you, softly shutting it once you had climbed in. It didn't take him long to hop into the vehicle himself, his slim fingers slipping the key into the ignition. Bringing the car to life, he leaned over and nipped your ear before beginning the journey home.

Only minutes passed by before the automobile came to a halt in front of his home, the key being tugged out of the ignition before the brunette leaned over and kissed your cheek. “We are home now, as you requested, my dear.” You nodded softly, eyes half lidded due to how blown your pupils were. Thomas leaned over you, his form practically enveloping your own as he brought a smothering kiss down to your lips. A moan slipped past your taken lips, drowning in the brunette’s mouth. By the time he pulled away you were a panting, stuttering mess “I think we...we should go inside..” you said softly. He chuckled softly before agreeing with you, opening his door and climbing out. You did the same but by the time you were out, Tom had came around and picked you up off your feet, shutting your door softly before carrying you inside.

Softly he lay you down on the plush couch, kissing you sweetly and massaging your shoulder. Bliss crept through your mind at the relaxing touch, the previous sexual tension fading from your brain. Thank god you finally had control of yourself once more, Thomas seemed to have his own mind caged as well, fully knowing you didn’t want to do anything like _that_ for quite some time.

Pulling away, you gasped and got up. “Hold on!” Quickly you ran back to the car and pulled out your shopping bag, closing the door before running back inside. Upon closing the entry to his home, you called out to him, practically jogging up to the couch where he remained seated, one leg rested upon the other. “Thomas, you’re ganna be mad but you’re ganna deal with it and you’re ganna love it.” The Brit raised an eyebrow at you, smirk widening, “what did my little minx purchase?” he paused for a moment, “isn’t it a little too early for condoms, my kitten?” You turned red and shook your head, “good guess, two more tries.” The brunette smiled softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “a necklace?” You smiled at that remark, silently thanking him for not delving into anymore sexual comments. Softly shaking your head, you watched him tap his chin, “a tie?”

Shaking your head, you reached into the bag, “nah,” you pulled out a small velvet box, “something a bit smaller.” You handed the item to the actor with care, a bright smile on your face. The man raised an eyebrow, “are you already proposing to me?” You laughed loudly, scarlet hovering above your cheeks, “too early. Too early.” Tapping his chin once more, Thomas pulled you down onto the couch, letting you fall into his lap with a small huff. “Open it already, I want to see if you like it.” Chuckling he gave you a loving reply, “if it’s from you it must be absolutely dazzling.” Without further adieu, he finally opened it and you felt your heart give a small jolt.

There was a gasp, then a pause and you could swear your beating muscle would collapse if there was any more of a wait. “Darling...darling, it's absolutely flawless.” You let a sigh of pure relief pass your lips, thank god. You had spent a fortune on that thing, your eyes scrutinizing its every detail, making sure it was in the best state possible and lovely as all hell.

Thomas kissed your cheek before returning his gaze back to the ring, softly pulling it out of its container. Diamonds littered the small gold band, a dark ruby resting in the middle. You smiled brightly, “I'm glad you like it.” 

“No I love it, I will cherish this for all eternity,” he grinned widely at you, “would you like to have the honors?” You were confused at first but then found the brunette holding his left hand out, his other palm holding the ring. Smiling softly you nodded and took the ring from his grasp before slipping the item onto his left ring finger. Tom kissed your cheek once more, “thank you, my love.” “You're welcome, Tom,” a smile played at your lips as you leaned against him, twirling his curls. The brunette hummed softly, eyes fluttering closed as he leaned into your touch.

The ring of your phone caused a startled jolt from the two of you. Groaning, you reached over to grab at your device, not missing the soft chuckle from Thomas' direction. Smiling, you looked at the number, grin fading and brows furrowing at the lack of knowledge of who it was. You tossed a look at the Brit before answering the call, “hello?”

There was a moment of silence before a rough voice spoke up from the other end, “hey, my little whore. Did you miss me?”

You froze, clicking the end call button as fast as humanly possible before slamming the phone down on the table. Tears arose from your good eye and traveled down your cheek as you shivered, curling into yourself. Thomas sprung into action and wrapped you up in his embrace, “my dear, what is it? Who was it?” His voice was soft, smooth as silk as he attempted to soothe you. “Him. It was that guy. The man from the bar.”

There was a long silence, Tom's grasp tightening on you every second, “I won't let him touch you. No one will touch you.” You nodded, limbs still quivering in fear, “okay...okay.” The actor wiped your tears away, small kisses ghosting over your cheek. 

It took you a while to calm your nerves, more than an hour for sure. By now you were beyond tired and Tom was a worried mess. The Brit looked down at your tear stained face, eyes trained on your lazy eyelids. “Sleep, my love.” You shook your head, “what if…” 

Thomas paused, taking in a breath, “he won't. He won't, never.” You looked up at your beloved, “okay..” You were hesitant to let your eyes slip shut but once they finally fell closed you found yourself falling into the blissful black.

The brunette stared down at you with a pained expression, it hurt him to see someone as beautiful as you be this terrified. To be harassed in such a way. It broke his heart, turned on the faucet within his glistening orbs. He would never let anyone touch you again, not in the way those men had in the bar. Never again. He would remain here with you, he would watch over you, he would be your personal fucking angel. 

Before Tom could delve further into his own thoughts, fatigue washed over him. He couldn't fall asleep, not now. He was too alert to be slumbering, too fearful someone would take you in the night. None the less, he still found himself nodding off, still found his eyelids slipping shut. What an awful predicament.

In the end, the inevitable slumber fell upon him, forcing him into an unwanted sleep.

 

It was morning by the time he awoke, Wednesday. You'd have to go to the bar today and that thought alone was enough to cause you to turn into a trembling mess. Reaching over to the pillow beside you, you found Tom missing. Softly you called out, voice trembling as your eye squinted against the rays of light. “Thomas?”

A voice sounded from the right of you and when you turned, you found yourself frozen. “Hm, seems your pretty little face got fucked up a bit, huh?”

That was all you needed to hear before you bolted off the bed and into the bathroom, slamming the door closed and locking it as you heard footsteps thudding behind you. “Bitch!”

With pants of frantic breath, you sobbed and ran to the closet, unsure if the door would be broken down or not. With haste, you climbed up to the top shelf and hid yourself behind a pile of boxes. Sobbing quietly with tears falling down your face, you buried your expression away within the crook of your arm.

“Thomas, please.”

The door smashed down and you heard multiple men crash through its remains. “Look! There!” You knew they hadn't even opened the closet door but you still shivered, your mind screaming that they had found you.

“The window! Shit..she must've gotten out,” the voice paused, “well don't stand there, get a moving!”

You awoke with a jolt, Tom's hands planted firmly on your forearms. Panting, you looked up at him, a bead of sweat trailing down your temple, “I think i'm going to call off of work today…”

Thomas’ eyes were wide, his brows furrowed as he nodded slowly before pulling you into a hug. “Do you...do you want to talk about it?”

You looked down, bringing your hand to rest upon the brunette's, “they found me...I didn't know where you were so I ran. I hid in the closet and they thought I went out the window but one stayed behind. You woke me up then...I think.”

Licking his lip, he pulled you close, tightly at that before kissing your hair. His soft smooches trailed down to your neck where they stopped, “come, we should redress your wounds.” You shivered slightly, letting a sigh pass before you nodded softly. After a moment a smile began to tug at the corners of your lips, “you speak as if they are from some great battle.”

The actor paused, lips set in a firm line, his eyes holding no sign of amusement, “it was a great battle that you fought. To be so strong during and even after that event. It was a battle.” You opened your mouth at that last statement, “that you fought.” You knew he was being serious right now and you had triggered that. You hadn't meant for it to be taken so seriously, it had been intended to lighten the mood, not add more weight to the somberness.

“I may have fought it physically but you won it mentally.”

You frowned, “but I didn't do anything but stand there and cry. I...I could have gotten raped, Thoma-” The brunette cut you off before you could finish that sentence. “Don't say that! You did what you could until I got there!”

You flinched away from him, orbs wide in fear. He had never, never ever raised his voice at you. “Thomas…?”

He let out a quick breath of air, brows scrunched together. Slowly and rather roughly, he ran a hand through his hair, “i'm sorry. I just...i'm just as worried as you are if i'm being honest. I'll refrain from having outbursts like that. It wasn't intended, I promise you.”

“It's...it's alright. I should've just kept quiet,” you got up after you said that, head bowed before walking off to the bathroom.

Thomas parted his lips to speak, fingers squirming to reach out to you as they were held at his side. Before he could say anything, he set his lips in a firm line and turned his head away. “God damnit..”

Once you found yourself in the bathroom, you began to unravel the copious amounts of bandages. Your eye was almost no better than it was the day before, the swelling less so along with the once vibrant purple. Both had dulled along with the obnoxious pain. Sucking in a shaky breath, you stared at yourself in the mirror, a frown playing at your lips. Eventually you were forced to turn your gaze away, refusing to let the tears out.

Your actions were quick and full of haste as you rewrapped the cloths around your face. “Won the battle” he had had said, yeah, won the battle at being the weakest most frail woman in the world.

After putting the items back in their designated locations, you placed your palms on the edge of the counter. What a mess.

Running a hand over the side of your unblemished face, you stared up at your reflection. If you weren't revolting before, you surely were now. No that wasn't true, Thomas found you beautiful, he told you everyday.

A knock on the doorframe snapped you out of your thoughts causing you to turn your head in the direction the sound was emitted.

“There's breakfast in the kitchen if you want some. There's also a few pastries I thought you might like…” His tone was quiet, face guilty and almost pained. You looked back down at the marble sink, eyes trained on your distorted reflection. “I'm not mad.”

The brunette paused and by the sounds of it, his voice hesitant. “You're not?”

You shook your head and turned your face upwards the tiniest bit so you could catch his eye, “no, you had and have every right to lose your temper when stressed. I do the same thing,” your voice was hushed. You had been in his place once, just once.

“Then…” there was a pause, he was surely thinking over his set of words, “thank you very much for your forgiveness.” A grin bubbled up onto your chapped lips, “you never needed my forgiveness because you never needed to apologize, love.”

Once more he went to speak but shut his voice off at the last minute, instead simply settling on sending you a sweet smile, nodding his thanks before walking off to the kitchen.

Your eye followed him as he went, gaze still lingering on the last place you had seen him before he had vanished behind the white wall. What a mess this all was indeed.


	9. Chapter 9

It had taken a few moments for you to emerge from the bathroom, but once you did you headed towards the kitchen. Tom smiled up at you from his seat at the table, sitting beside a full plate most likely meant for you.

Smiling back, you came and sat beside your significant other, kissing his cheek softly before beginning to munch on your food. A few moments passed before you spoke up, “so...I was thinking that…” you paused for a moment before your soft voice picked up, “i'll be willing to accept affections in public.”

The brunette paused in his eating, looking at you midchew with a brow raised. He swallowed, “you're sure? Please remember you don't have to-” you cut him off. “I know but I want to.”

Thomas smiled softly, a grin stretching from ear to ear, “thank you,” his voice was so soft, so filled with joy as he kissed your cheek softly. “It makes me happy you're ready to finally be queen of the world,” he joked quietly. “I've been ready to be the queen of this world since I was born, Thomas,” you replied, a smirk dancing on your face.

The actor put down his fork and you did the same, the man turning fully towards you, “my queen, my queen of the world,” he whispered softly.

“No need to fall into your Loki act, love, or King Henry for that matter,” you said sweetly, “I prefer just you over any character you play.” It seemed odd to speak so kindly after earlier, you had anticipated, at the very least, awkward silence but none had come.

Tom stared at you, hazel eyes practically hypnotizing you but you shook your head to shake yourself back to reality, “damn you and your flawless eyes.” There was a soft chuckle before a pair of lips met your temple, his silky voice filling your ears, “can I tell you something?” It was a small question that sent your anxiety reeling, had he grown bored of you, was he leaving?

You tensed in anticipation and he noticed, “nothing bad, I assure you but…” he paused for a moment, “i've got an awful urge to hold you right now, spoil you rotten with affection.” A smile of relief bloomed on your lips, brows rising up in an innocent look of love before you slowly inched forward to rest your forehead upon his shoulder. You let out a sigh before reluctantly pushing yourself off him and picking up your phone. 

The brunette sent you a questioning look and you just smiled lovingly at him, calling the bar and waiting for them to pick up.

A voice sounded on the other end, greeting you, “ah, yes, hello. I'm going to call off today if that's alright,” you said softly, tense while waiting for an answer. Your boss sighed on the other end but granted your wish none the less, knowing you never took the day off unless something had come about but he never questioned.

Saying your goodbyes, you ended the call and set your phone down on the table before turning to your spouse, “hold me all you want then, but only after breakfast,” you finished with a smile.

Thomas returned your smile and agreed, the rest of breakfast passing rather quickly with only minor conversations said here and there.

Once the two of you had finished, he didn't even give you the chance to pick up the dishes, immediately scooping you up once you were out of your seat. Laughing softly, you flung your hands around his neck, giggling the whole way to the bedroom.

It didn't take long for the both of you to reach the bedside, Tom dropping onto the mattress back first and bobbing up and down with you held firmly to his chest.

Smiling widely, you trailed your hands up into his hair, laughing quietly as he did the same. A calm sense filled you as you toyed with his curls, eyes falling shut as you rested your ear to his chest, just above his heart. It was rather calming to hear the thump of the beating muscle, calming to hear the soothing rhythm.

A deep rumble filled your senses, Tom's deep hearted chuckle shaking his chest as he watched you lay peacefully upon his torso, his eyes smiling. You looked up at him, grinning as your eyes met, “something amusing? This was your idea after all.” 

The man shook his head, “nothing at all, love,” he replied sweetly, “I just can't help but smile at how adorably sleepy you look.” 

“Sleepy?” you questioned softly, did you really look that tired? His eyelids fluttered down halfway, “yes, sleepy, sleepy and cute,” he ran a palm down the side of your cheek, thumb grazing your lips. You turned your head to the side, opposite ear resting on his chest as you stared up at him, “you’re adorably cute, you know that?” you said softly.

“Just adorable and cute?” he asked, his own voice sleepy and filled with relaxation. “Attractive, calming, sweet, protective-but not overly so, sexy..”

He chuckled quietly, “such a minx you are today, my dear,” his finger ran through your silky locks and suddenly his previous fatigue vanished. “I just realized i'm supposed to be at an interview with some fellow costars in..” he looked at the alarm clock beside the two of you, “thirty minutes.”

The man looked down at you, an apology swimming in his orbs. “That's Alright, mind if I accompany you to the place? I mean, i'll stay outside, maybe do some shopping or something to pass the time.”

The brunette smiled softly at you, “you could come to the interview if you'd like as well, if you want.”

You looked down, thinking for a moment before nodding softly, “alright...I suppose today's the day the world gets to know.”

He kissed your cheek before getting up and commencing the act of getting dressed, you did the same.

After a few moments you found yourself staring at your significant other, eyes taking in every detail he had to offer. Crisp black tux, inky pants that clung to his absolutely flawless legs, while his face was just a masterpiece. “Take a picture it'll last longe-” Thomas realized his mistake and cut his voice off immediately, “if you take a picture, I get one too.” You gave a firm nod, smiling sweetly, “deal.”

Whipping out your phone and snapping a quick picture, you marveled at it for a few seconds, the smile on his face was absolutely angelic. Tom snapped his fingers and you quickly put your phone away, pulling the edges of your dress up in a curtsey and smiling up at him as he took his own photo. The dress having been brought to his home, for you had anticipated something like this. You silently thanked your past self for the proper preparation.

Once the little photo session had been completed, the two of you made your way to the door and outside, hopping inside the car. Fifteen minutes left before the brunette was late.

You turned to him, mouth hanging open to pull forth a question, “are we going to walk down a red carpet or something?” He chuckled softly, “yes we are, if you are uncomfortable with the paparazzi just ignore them.” You nodded softly, looking out the window to find that he had already parked into a reserved space before quickly hopping out of the car, you did the same.

Thomas leaned down and kissed you ever so sweetly before looking into your eyes, “you're sure?” You nodded, confidence filling you, “could you...hold my hand?” Sensing your nervousness of being in front of so many people, he nodded and grabbed ahold of your sweaty palm. Flushing, you apologized, “i'm sorry...my hands, they...urm…” The actor kissed you again, “do not fret, I too get clammy hands when nervous, try to relax as best you can, love.” Taking a breath, you loosened your shoulders and signaled him with a nod that you were ready.

He cast you a smile before quickly setting a haste filled pace in the direction of where the interview was being held. Thousands of people stood at the edges of a red carpet, cameras in hand as both you and Tom made your way down the crimson cloth. Questions rained out of their mouth and you squeezed your spouse's hand tighter, he returned it with a squeeze of his own. 

If seemed to take an eternity to reach just the middle of the carpet but at that location he leaned down and planted a kiss on your temple. You smiled brightly as the two of you continued to walk, happiness radiating off of you. Just as you were about to reach the doors, someone fell directly in front of you. In response, you inevitably tripped over them. Tom attempted to grab you, reaching out for you, but his reflexes were too slow by just a bit.

Scrambling to get up, you offered your hand down to the person who had fell, “i’m-i'm terribly sorry, please forgive me.” Your voice was so tiny, so many people had just seen your foolish clumsiness.

The person below you, who turned out to be female, took you hand, “no, no, it was my fault, i'm so sorry.” You released her hand, waving her off, shaking slightly, “it's alright, don't worry about it.” You were close to tears, so many people's eyes were on you and Thomas sensed this. Grabbing your hand, the brunette led you inside. You looked behind you at the woman who was retreating back into the crowd.

Looking forward just in time for a tear to slip out, you thanked the actor when he held the door open for you.

Once inside the building, the two of you rounded a corner where he placed his hands upon your shoulders, “i'm so terribly sorry, darling,” he whispered out, hands trailing up to your cheeks and brushing the tears away. “No, it’s okay, it's okay. This was my decision and I was the one that was a clumsy fool, do not fret over me.”

Nodding, he leaned over and kissed your forehead tenderly, “let me know when you're ready to move on.”

It took a few minutes of breathing before you could steady yourself enough to bring forth a nod. He brought his arms around you and kissed your cheek before stepping back and grabbing your hand.

As the two of you walked, a blonde came up to the two of you, “Tom! It's so nice to see you again!” he had called out, an australian accent lacing his voice. “Chris, what a pleasure to see you, I didn't think you'd be here.”

Looking between the two men, you rose a brow, who was this blonde giant?

The brunette looked down at you, “oh, excuse me, darling this is Chris Hemsworth. Chris, this is my beautiful beloved.”

After Tom stated your name Chris smiled at you, blue eyes shimmering as he held out his hand, “it's a pleasure to meet you.” Grinning slightly and loosening up a bit at his friendliness, you shook his hand. It took one shake before the blonde pulled you into a hug, laughing softly, “it's always nice to meet one of Tom's friends.” He released you after that and turned to the brunette, a smile blooming on his face.

“Actually…” Tom began softly, “she's more than a friend.” The blonde gasped quietly, smile widening, “my dear thomas has finally grown up, what a sight to see.”

Thomas laughed softly, “Chris, I'm older than you by three years.” The blonde barked out joyous laughter, “ah, yes, but you see…” he paused, “i'm taller.” The Brit beside you chuckled loudly, “and that makes you more grown up?” 

Chris closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and nodded, “i'd like to think it would, yes.”

Tom cocked a brow, smiling widely as a giggle escaped his parted lips, “you're right,” he raised his hands in the air, “you're right, i'm wrong.”

“Being serious now, will the sweet lady be joining us?” Chris asked softly, a smile on his face and when Tom nodded, the blonde cheered, “all the more fun to have to annoy the interviewers.”

You rose a brow and spoke up, “annoy the interviewers?” The blonde looked over at you, “yeah, me and Tom here are notorious in acting like kids in a classroom, being scolded at by the teacher because we talk too much. Often we get so caught up in our chatter that the questions go right over our heads.”

You laughed softly, watching as Chris wrapped an arm loosely around the brunette's shoulder. The blonde shared a laugh with your spouse before you reached a hand down to grasp Tom’s. The man above you stared at you through blue eyes, releasing Tom’s shoulders, “sorry, didn't mean to hog him from you.” He cast you a smile and you did the same, “well, he's not all mine, I don't own him, so feel free to do whatever.”

Thomas cast you a smirk, “I can be yours tonight,” you smacked his arm with your free hand, a smile on your flushed face. Chris laughed loudly at the sight, a bright smile dancing in his eyes and hovering on his lips. Once he had quieted a bit, he let out breathy words, “we should get to the classroom, yeah?”

Nodding, the three of you began walking to the location of the room. Chris looped an arm around Tom's shoulders as he walked while you stood on his opposite side, hands intertwined while you walked. The actor leaned down and placed a smile filled kiss on your cheek, Chris glancing down out of the corner of his eyes before turning his head away.

It was when you all came to the pair of doors that the blonde released Tom and pushed the structures open to reveal two more men behind it.

Tom smiled brightly, Chris turning over to him and smiling as well. Your beloved seemed to be quite acquainted with at least one of them, going over to him and pulling him into a hug. Upon listening to their conversation you came to find the name of the man was Josh Horowitz. The three men continued to laugh loudly and joke with each other and you were left alone with the interviewer: Jim.

The man smiled sweetly at you, “is this your first interview?” You nodded, smiling politely up at him. “Alright, well, just keep in mind that you are allowed to have fun and be yourself, this isn't some ‘who has the best manners’ contest,” he said with a bright grin. “I'll keep that in mind,” you replied softly, the corners of your mouth twitching up gently.

Jim chuckled quietly, looking over your shoulder, “I suppose i'll go round up the children,” he said softly. You giggled, leaving him to go to them before sitting on the couch behind you. Upon settling down, you rested one leg upon the other, folding your hands within your lap.

A realization hit you and caused your palms to sweat, there was a camera in the corner of the room quietly coming to life. You should have known that you would be filmed, this was an interview after all.

To your dismay, Tom sat in between Chris and Josh and you sent him a look, silently pleading for him to switch places with one of them as to be closer to you. He didn't notice, just continued to talk to his comrades. You almost opened your mouth but kept silent, he was always with you. He probably hadn't seen the blonde or the ravenette in years, he probably wanted to speak with them more than you at the moment.

Leaning back against the couch, sweaty palms clasped together, you looked over at Jim before your gaze slipped to the camera and finally back on Tom.

Your mind fabricated the brunette’s face becoming angry at being pulled away from his friends and that was enough to keep you rooted to your seat. Figuring this would only last for an hour or so, you remained motionless, staring down at the floor. A question that was whipped forth snapped you out of your trance, it was a question directed at Chris.

“Thor two ended with Loki on the throne of Asgard, and obviously Thor doesn’t know about it. How much connection does he still have with Asgard or is he divorced from it completely?” Jim asked, his voice calm as he sent you a soft smile, a subtle attempt to reassure and relax you.

The blonde spoke up after a moment of thought, blue eyes twinkling, “up until kind of the third act or sort of halfway through he begins to have suspicions about what’s going on here or what this bigger picture is here and who’s involved,” he began softly, “he doesn’t know by the end of it, but he starts to think something’s not right here. This is all a little too convenient why this has happened, which certainly points his focus back there,” he eventually finished. 

Jim nodded, going on about other questions for the blonde. Somewhere on the third question, you found your gaze fixed on Thomas, eyes filled with a sleepy haze as you watched him continue to converse with Josh. The man eventually turned his head towards you, eyes meeting your sleepy ones and you immediately averted your gaze. You didn't want him to know how much the urge for him to just hold your hand had consumed you.

You went back to staring at the floor before you felt a body shift beside yours, glancing up, your eyes met with Tom’s, a bright, loving smile on his face. He had switched places with Chris, who was still answering one of the questions flung at him.

The brunette leaned down to your ear and whispered quietly, “I saw your pleading eyes, could've just asked me you know.” He kissed your temple softly, a loving smile still on his face, “I wouldn't have been angry or anything.” You smiled sweetly before turning away, “I thought you might have been and it looked as if you hadn't seen those two for awhile, I didn't want to intrude.” He laughed heartily, “you wouldn't have been intruding, love,” he said tenderly, voice still hushed. He kissed the corner of your lips, moving away just before a question came flying at you, the two of you actually.

“So, my two love birds, how long has this relationship been going on for?” Jim asked, a smile dancing on his lips.

Flushing, you looked down, hands folded in your lap, a nervous laugh shaking your shoulders. Thomas answered for you, “about two weeks.” Jim smiled sweetly, “congratulations.”

“Oh, not you too, Chris already went on earlier about how I had grown up,” the brunette said with a chuckle. “Oh, but you have, of course our Chris here is the true grown up here,” Jim motioned to Chris who in return made an immature, yet comedy gold expression. Laughing quietly, your face broke into a grin, “definitely the most mature as well,” Jim finished.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the month long wait

The interview went along much faster with Tom at your side, the man resting his hand on your knee in a soothing fashion. Nearly halfway through you had rested your head on his shoulder, your orbs falling upon his hand as to avoid the sight of the camera.

With a shift of his hand, the brunette leaned down to your ear, “what do you think about going out for dinner tonight?” he whispered out. You turned your eyes up towards him, a smile blossoming upon your features, “sounds good.” Tom's everlasting smile brightened, “where would you like to go, my dear?” A gentle feeling crept throughout your body, orbs becoming soft, “anywhere you want.” 

A quiet laugh soon resounded from him, vibrating deep within his chest, “as you wish, love,” he whispered out affectionately.

As the interview was coming to an end, you noticed Jim's smile on you, one that read ‘I hope you enjoyed yourself’. You'd like to thank him for making things easy on you if you got the chance.

The camera in the corner was switched off before all the men stood up and began stretching, including Tom. Following suit, you arose from your seat and stretched your stiff limbs in bliss, your hands flying above your head. Just as you were about to bring them back down to your sides, a masculine palm caught the two of yours.

Slowly, the hand brought the pair of yours down before adding in another palm to capture yours in a gentle hold. Your orbs travelled from the intertwined fingers and up to the owner, gaze meeting Tom's smile almost instantly.

His hand lowered your laced fingers down to the side before he reached his opposite arm around you, pulling your form close and planting a sweet kiss upon your silky strands of hair. Smiling and leaning into his embrace, you glanced up at him, eyes twinkling with adoration.

With half lidded orbs, he spoke, “how was it, darling?” You glanced down at the ground before casting your eyes up at him once more, “intimidating at first but I got used to it.” The brunette grinned widely, “I'm glad you weren't too shy.” Attempting to cover your smile with a tilt of your head, you fumbled over your words a bit, “well it's kind of hard to when you've got someone beside you.”

A warm smile settled on his lips, fond and loving, “I'm going to go say my farewells to Josh and Chris, alright? After that we'll go out to eat as promised.” Nodding, you sent him one more smile, watching quietly as he released your hand. There was a moment that he just stared before quickly pulling you into an embrace and smooching your forehead. Smiling, he slipped away to the other men.

Sending one last smile in his direction, you directed your orbs towards your feet, hands folded in front of you in quiet bliss. Moments passed before a pair of footsteps approached you, quiet and just barely audible above the chatter being delivered around the room. Glancing up, you expected to see Tom but instead you were faced with an unknown man.

Slicked back ashen hair shimmered in the dull lights of the room, a suit clinging to his lithe form. The male sent a smile at you, brown eyes shining with flirtatious desires. Unnerved now, you fought the urge to back away, biting your lips upon instinct, surely if he had any bad intentions he would not commit them here out in the open. This was a room full of four grown men that you knew personally, surely this particular man before you had the wits to take a hint should you send him one.

“Good evening, beautiful,” he placed his palm upon his chest and leaned forward in a small bow. “Good evening,” you managed to squeak out, uncomfortable and seeking nothing more than to get away from him, bad vibes were practically rolling off of him in waves. Your hands shook at your sides, failing to go unnoticed by the ravenette before you.

Smoothly, he took your hand into his own, bringing your trembling fingers up to his lips and delivering a soft kiss. The second he released them you retracted your palm, taking a step back as well. At this point it was futile to appear polite, a challenge to not be considered rude. Perhaps he was simply much too friendly with newcomers and this was how he greeted everyone regardless of who they were.

He sent you a smile, one that sent the worst kind of shivers up your spine, “no need to fear, my sweet. I am Travis, Travis Eluent. It is a pleasure to be in your presence, love.” You nodded with a shaking spine, head jerky in its simple movements, “nice to meet you. I'm-” He cut you off before you could finish, “I am well aware of who you are, that is why I came here today.”

You took another step back, though his voice was friendly you felt the need to flee right here, right now. Travis took a step forward, now closer than ever to you. Biting into your lip, brows furrowed, you took your last few steps before the couch hit the back of your knees, forcing you into a sit. Staring up at him from your seat on the couch, you leaned as far as you could, watching fearfully as his face only got closer to yours. His lips grazed your cheek and you hunched into yourself.

Deciding it was far past the point of being polite, you shoved him off, slapping him across the face. The sound echoed across the room and all eyes turned towards you. Your forehead had acquired droplets of sweat, tears swimming in your eyes as you lowered your hand. A growl sounded from the ravenette before he turned his gaze back to you. There was little time to spare before his hand came flying across your face, flinging you to the couch. It stung.

It stung like hell, he had hit far harder than you could ever dream. The offense he had delivered had sent your hair flying, bandage upon your eye becoming ajar from the contact.

Multiple sets of feet came rushing over in your direction before you heard Thomas’ voice calling over security. You had already predicted his quietly muttered profanities directed towards the man, listening quietly as Tom cursed at him through a hushed voice. 

Jim was at your side along with Chris, inquiring if you were alright. You nodded softly, palm resting upon your cheek as you did so. The Brit wasted no more time with Travis, quickly rushing over to you and kneeling before your gaze. “Darling, are you alright?” Slowly you turned your eyes up at him, brows knitted together and lips pulled into a firm line. You let out a quiet sigh, licking at your lips before biting them, “i'm fine, Thomas. Thank you.”

The brunette searched your orbs with his own concerned one's, lips pulled into a tight line. One thing you noticed before he pulled you into a tight hug was his glossy eyes, filled with concern, regret, and tears.

He did not fully release you when he pulled away, palms still resting on your shoulders, “I think we can both agree on one thing,” he whispered through a smile, tone attempting to lighten the mood, “let's go home.”

You smiled, nodding and watching as the seal broke free in his eyes, silent tears trailing down his cheeks. Slowly he leaned into you, mouth resting just beside your ear, “i'm so tired of seeing you hurt.”

Suddenly feeling like it was your fault, you recoiled a bit, sudden shame filling you at being so kind. It's not like you knew what to expect from those men and you most certainly weren't a rude person to strangers, you had a hard time reading the signs and relied on your gut as much as a man relied on a bra. You would never listen to those warning signs until it was cutting it too close or already too late.

The actor caught your fretful gaze, “it's not your fault, don't make that face.” Before you could get another word out, he brought his lips to yours, love pouring from him and straight to you. When he pulled away, you glanced to the side, now noticing how the other men had the tact to make themselves scarce.

Returning your face back to his, you stared at his worried features, “it's not yours either, Tom, just so you know,” was all you whispered out. The brunette let a small chuckle slip past his lips before he nodded, eyes turned downward.

With a soft touch, you reached towards him and grasped his face, taking his cheeks into your hands and tenderly wiping the tears free. A few moments passed before you decided to break the ice, “I think we should pick up some food on our way home, there's a nice place with pastries we could go to, they also serve tea and the like. Dessert for dinner, I could pay.”

The brunette laughed softly, voice angelically calm, “that sounds lovely, would it be alright if I-” You interrupted him before he could even finish that sentence, “never mind, let me make a correction: i'm paying. Pardon my mistake.” A benevolent smile shone on your lips as you watched Tom sigh in defeat, nodding his head, “as you wish, darling,” he replied through a chuckle.

Having already said his farewells to his fellow comrades, he scooped you up in his arms, kissing you sweetly before leading you out to the parking lot, sun just beginning to set. His arm rested around your waist, holding you close as the two of you strolled to the automobile. Resting your head on his shoulder, you let a sly smile climb onto your face before reaching down and letting your palm rest upon his backside, delivering a gentle squeeze. Once again, a soft “oh” escaped him just like last time. If you were being honest, his ass was a very good stress reliever.

Turning his head to kiss your cheek was all he did before returning the touch, hand gentle as it rested upon your clothed skin. Instead of the gesture being the flirty type it was meant to be, it held a soft affection to it, apologies left unsaid that rested within his hold. It wasn't even a squeeze, just a tender hover.

Before you knew it, his car was parked just beside the small pastry shop you had mentioned, the door being held open for you. Smiling and thanking him, you stepped out, attempting to shut the door but finding it already closed. Looking up at him, you grinned brightly, “quick aren't we?” The brunette simpered down at you, amused glint in his eyes, “of course.” Flicking his tongue at you in a childish manner, he grasped your hand and began leading you towards the building. Raising a brow, you let out a giggle, sticking your tongue out at him in return.

Before Thomas could reach the door, you darted ahead and opened it for him, watching with a smile as he bowed his head, “thank you, my love.” The apples of your cheeks rose and flushed as your grin became more prominent. Hurrying over to his side at the rows and rows of sweets in glass cases, you stared up at his face, watching with interest as his eyes searched. A sudden surge of affection consumed you and in return you forced your eyes away from him. 

Affection consumed you rather quickly from that point on and in that moment, you leaned towards him, quietly reaching towards his hand. Your fingers brushed his before his palm engulfed yours, tugging you close and holding you to his side. You caught his smile, eyes glancing at you from the corners before his gaze returned to the numerous sweets.

A series of footsteps sounded from the hallway behind the counter before a young woman stood there, gasping in breaths of air as she finished her sprint to the front of the shop, “i'm terribly sorry, I hope I didn't keep you two wait…” her gaze settled on you before flicking over to Tom, “...ing.” You smiled brightly, laughter bubbling up from you, “hello to you too, Chelsey.” Turning towards your spouse, you motioned towards the woman, “Tom this is Chelsey, a dear friend of mine and also the owner's daughter. Chelsey, this is Tom, my beloved goofball.”

Chelsey paused for a moment before smirking at you, quickly directing her gaze at Tom, “pleasure to meet you, Tom,” once again her eyes were on you, “you little minx, all grown up, crawled out of your shell!” Flushing you blinked, rolling your eyes after a moment, “he made the first move, not me. I'm still a snail locked in my home, trust me.” The female cocked her head, shrugging softly, “anyways, what can I get for the cutest couple today?” You glanced up at Tom, silently asking him what he was getting to which he cast you a smile, “just an apple tart and a coffee for me, my dear,” he stated to her. Nodding, she scribbled down the order before glancing up at you, “just a cup of rice pudding and a cup of tea,” you said through a smile.

Chelsey nodded, finishing in scribbling down the order before calmly getting set with the orders, leisurely. “I don't mean to pry,” she said after a short moment, “but how long have you two been together?” 

“Almost three weeks now,” you beamed up at Tom through cheerful orbs, grinning wider as he returned the expression, though you could tell by his eyes that he was awkwardly third wheeling this conversation. Leaning up and pecking his cheek you whispered in his ear, “just a few moments, love.”

He replied in an equally hushed tone, “take all the time you want, darling.” Returning his smile, you nodded before leaning up, eyes closed. Taking the hint, he moved forth, placing a tender kiss upon your rosy lips, the motion lasting just seconds before he pulled away.

Slipping from his grasp, you moved towards the counter, quietly starting up a quiet conversation with a long time old friend of yours, Thomas still viewing the multiple cakes lined in a row behind closed glass. Minutes passed before the order was completed and the pastries payed for. You bid Chelsey farewell but at the last minute she hurried from behind the counter, quickly going over to you and pulling you into an embrace, “take care alright, you little rascal?” You nodded and returned her hold with a chuckle, “I will, you take care as well.” Silently you rested your chin upon her shoulder, “it's been so nice seeing you again after all these months.”

Chelsey nodded before pulling away, patting you on the shoulder, “now that I've kept you here for well over thirty minutes, you better get going, I don't want to keep you or your gentleman from anything,” she glanced out the window that revealed the darkening town, “besides dusk is already upon us.”

Agreeing with her, you watched as the brunette went and shook her hand. Of course with her bubbly personality she ended up tugging him into a hug and he complied, all smiles. When they pulled away, the actor returned to your side. Sending her one last grin, you bid her a final farewell before exiting the shop.

Upon entering the car, Tom turned to you, “I didn't know you had a sister, your similarities are uncanny.” Sending him a set of quiet, amused laughs, you stared out the window, “she's no sister by blood but definitely a sister from another mister.”

The actor smiled at you, blue eyes alight with amusement before he plugged the keys into the ignition, letting the car come to life. The chat between you was small on the drive home due to the two of you being exhausted from the day's events. In order to fill in the comfortable silence, you took to staring out the small window of the vehicle, watching as cotton candy colored clouds swept by peacefully.

As the two of you drove along the road, a field came into view, tall verdant colored grass rolling in the wind lazily. As if on queue, a doe arose from the ground, ears swiveling towards the noise, inky eyes trained on the source before the creature eventually bounded away and off into the woodlands. Long legs carrying its nimble body through graceful movements as it sprinted out of view.

You watched with respective orbs as it disappeared from sight, a beatific feeling consuming you. Eventually you stole your gaze from the window, planting it directly on your beloved. Affection swarmed your heart in the most beautiful of ways, a shy smile sprouting onto your face as you stared through half lidded eyes resting on a flustered face.

The beating muscle within your chest thumped loudly in its ribcage, imitating a stampede of wildebeests that threatened to escape. Eyes holding incomprehensible love, endless love that lit up the sky as it faded into dark. Nervously licking your lips and reaching forward with a tentative palm, you grasped onto his free hand. He cast you a glance out of the corner of his eye, sending you a charming grin and in that small moment you felt your heart explode.

You had experienced this feeling multiple times in previous moments but never this strong, never this obvious, never this uncontrolled. Flushing brighter, you squeezed onto his hand, eyes glancing down before returning back to his features, your mouth moving in an attempt to say the unsaid words. Only a few seconds had passed yet it felt like years due to how idiotic you were making this all out to be-it was just a few simple words.

“I'm so happy we met, Thomas.”


End file.
